Before I realised how to cook for myself, I would enjoy tins of instant tomato soup that were far from real tomato soup, produced using the fresh and succulent real tomatoes.
The fresh tomatoes are a must but fresh sweetcorn isn't really that necessary - you can take a shortcut and use tinned or frozen corn, which will work just fine.
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
800g canned, chopped tomatoes
1 litre vegetable stock
300g tinned (or frozen) sweet corn
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
Instructions:
1. Fry the onions in the olive oil to soften in a saucepan over medium to high heat until they just begin to brown. Add the garlic and gently fry for another for a minute, stirring constantly.
2. Pour in the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they give up their juice. Cover and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the water and corn to the soup and cook, about 5 minutes.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the basil, mix well, remove from the heat and serve.