Tomato Soup

Mr B made chicken stock from bones left from pot roast chicken last weekend. A long overdue write up of  tomato soup recipe (made with aforementioned stock for lunch during the week).

Chop two onions, two carrots and two sticks of celery and sweat in two tablespoons of olive oil along with stalks from small bunch of basil (reserve the basil leaves).
When onions are just translucent add 1.8 litres of chicken stock (or vegetable), 2 cans of chopped plum tomatoes and 5 chopped large fresh tomatoes. Bring to boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. 
Remove from heat and add basil leaves. Using hand blender process until smooth. Taste and season prior to serving.

Falafel

400g can of chickpeas
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons of fresh parsley
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons flour

Put onions, garlic and parsley in food processor and 'chop'. Add to food processor all other ingredients and process until smooth-ish paste. Form into balls and deep fry in oil until golden brown (5-7 minutes). Alternatively form into patties and shallow fry until brown.

Serve in pitta bread with shredded lettuce, cucumber and a tahini dressing (equal parts tahini and yoghurt with lemon juice to taste - try 1.5tbsp with juice of half a lemon)

Friends who we haven't seen for 7 years came for lunch yesterday. Lunch consisted of Pot roast chicken and rhubarb and ginger icecream. Catching up on 7 years including the wedding of their eldest last year was brilliant. Sounds like we might be meeting up again in a couple of months time as he turns 60.