When everything’s going a bit wrong, it’s time for soup. Each soup can be a very different beast - there’s my speedy cheat’s tomato soup (a can of chopped toms simmered with stock and garlic for 10 minutes before blending), my favourite low and slow butternut squash ramen, the curried root vegetable soup I make with wilting produce from the fridge, or the corn chowder that I make when I need a bit of nourishment.
There’s also the less successful ones: the stringy fennel and orange soup that took forever, the undercooked pea soup made in too much of a rush, and the vegetable one that turned out more like brown sludge. Personally, I think a good soup is hard to get right. Luckily, this one is fairly failsafe and involves no slow stewing on a countertop. You can leave it to roast while you get on with something else, and come back to it when you’re ready. The lentils add a nice bit of bite, and a squeeze of lemon really makes it zing.
Also, if you like books and food, you’ll love reading Spare Ribs book club’s new zine. I went to my first Spare Ribs meeting last week and ate my bodyweight in Korean dishes (including these Hotteok, which I made for the feast) and discussed Crying in H Mart to my heart’s content. You can subscribe here, and follow the club on Instagram for updates and details on how to join here.
Roasted tomato, coconut and red lentil soup
Serves 4
800g ripe tomatoes
1 onion
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 a tsp mustard seeds
1/2 a tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground fenugreek
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
400g can of coconut milk
500ml vegetable stock
150g red lentils
1/2 a lemon
fresh coriander (to garnish)
4 spring onions (to garnish)
Preheat your oven to 180C. Chop your tomatoes into evenly sized chunks, then quarter your onion and spread evenly between two trays (or one big one). Drizzle with olive oil, then toss in the spices and a large pinch of salt. Roast for 30-40 minutes until golden and squidgy.
Once roasted, tip into a blender with the coconut milk and blend until smooth. Tip into a saucepan and add the lentils and stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Season to taste, squeeze in the lemon juice, then serve garnished with the coriander roughly chopped and the spring onion finely sliced.
The second leg of the Big Italian Trip™ was the Amalfi Coast. First was Capri, where I had the best sandwich of my entire life, followed by Salerno and a few places along the way…
Caprese sandwich from Cuccurullo Aldo in Capri: I’m not joking when I say that this is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Order from the counter at the back and browse the cluttered deli shelves while you wait.
Pizza from Don Antonio 1970 Pizzeria in Salerno: Tasty pizza in an airy restaurant with nicer-than-nice staff - lots lighter than Neapolitan pizza, but still delicious.
Fried delights from Ni Burti in Salerno: You can pretty much get anything you like fried here, and it’s all served by a lovely man who has beers in the back if you ask nicely.
Street corn from Salerno: Walk along the main stretch in Salerno and you’ll find street vendors selling hot, buttered corn with your choice of condiments. I recommend mayonnaise and loads of black pepper.
A sandwich from the cafe end of La Torretta in Cetara: If you take the bus (at your own peril) to Spiaggia del Lannio for the day, make sure to grab a massive sandwich with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, rocket, tuna, or salami and a red peroni and watch the waves roll in.