Aubergine and Pepper Soup.

This delicious soup is just as good hot as it is cold.

Ingredients you will need:

- 4 medium aubergines 

- 2 large red peppers

- 1 large orange pepper

- 1 large yellow pepper

- 1 chopped shallot

- 3 large cloves of garlic

- 300ml of vegetable stock

- 500 ml of tomato juice

- 1 tbsp of corse- grain mustard

- 2 sprigs of fresh basil

 - leaves from 1 sprig of fresh rosemary 

- salt and pepper to taste

- olive oil 

- cherry tomatoes on the vine to garnish

Method: 

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 190°C. 

Step 2: Peel the aubergines in long strips, either using a swivel peeler or sharp knife, still keeping about 0.5cm of the flesh still on the skin. Cut those strips into long strips and then into small dice. Set the cubed aubergine skin aside. 

Step 3: Now wrap the peeled aubergines, rosemary and garlic in foil and roast in the preheated oven for around an hour or until the aubergine flesh is soften and completely broken. This may take a while so just be patient. Save any of the cooking juices.

Step 4: Heat up some olive oil in a frying pan and, when hot, fry the aubergine on the high heat to give it a slightly scorched flavour. Add the saved juices and season to taste. Set aside and leave to cool. 

Step 5: Slice up the peppers and discard the central seed core and stalk. 

Step 6: Add some more oil to the frying pan and, again when hot, sauté the shallot until lightly coloured. Then add the sliced pepper and continue frying over a high heat for around 5 minutes. 

Step 7: Mix in the basil, mustard and stock. Then bring to the boil, season and simmer for around 15 minutes. Now remove from the heat and cool. 

Step 8: Now discard the basil and blitz the pepper mixture either with a hand held blender or a food processor and then add the aubergine and blitz again until smooth. Gradually incorporate the tomato juice until you get the consistency you like and chill until ready to serve. 

Step 9: When you are ready to serve the soup, prepare the garnish by frying the saved aubergine skin in a little oil until light and crisp and then drain on kitchen paper. Next do the same with the tomatoes and again drain on kitchen paper. 

Step 10: Pour the soup into a bowl and scatter the aubergines on the top and place the tomatoes on the side and enjoy! (If you would like to eat this soup hot just gently heat over a medium heat until hot and serve.) 

(Original recipe by Gordon Ramsay)