This is the perfect match of a rich capsicum & tomato soup with the salty, popcorny crunch of the Gruyere Corn Thins Minis. Very hard to stop at 1 bowl of this soup.
SOUP
2 large red capsicums
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large brown onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
750g very ripe vine tomatoes, roughly chopped
500ml chicken stock
1 cup basil leaves
2 tbsp Kecap manis sauce
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
GRUYERE MINIS
1 packet Corn Thins Minis
100g Gruyere cheese block
To make soup, Char capsicums over gas flame (or in oven grill) until skin is black. Place into a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 5 mins. Remove wrap, carefully peel skin from capsicum, discard skin, stalks and seeds. Set aside the flesh.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Sauté onion until soft. Add garlic and tomato paste and fry, stirring constantly, for an additional 2 mins. Add capsicum flesh, tomato and stock. Season with salt and pepper, cover and allow to simmer for 20 mins.
Transfer to a blender (or use a stick blender), add basil and Kecap manis sauce and puree until smooth. You may like to add more Kecap manis sauce to taste, depending on how ripe and sweet the tomatoes you used were.
To make the Gruyere Minis, preheat an oven grill to 200ºC. Spread Minis in an even layer across the tray. Finely grate over the Gruyere, then grill 2-3 mins until golden and crispy. Serve with the soup.
