1 oz (30g or ¼ stick) butter
4 oz (125g or one cup) chopped onion
2 oz (60g or ½ cup) grated carrots
1 medium stick celery, thinly sliced
2lb (1 kilo) tin tomatoes
2 rounded tablespoons tomato purée
2 oz (60g or ½ cup) chopped streaky bacon
¼ pint (150ml or ½ cup) claret
4 tablespoons extra claret
2 pints (1 litre or 5 cups) water or light chicken stock
1 level tablespoon sugar
2 level tablespoons cornflour
1 bouquet garni
2 or 3 level teaspoons salt (or to taste)
Single cream (to garnish)
Sprigs parsley or thyme, finely chopped
Heat the butter in a large lidded pan, add the vegetables and bacon
and fry for about ten minutes over a medium heat, stirring occasionally,
until they have turned pale gold (but avoid burning).
Stir in the tomatoes, claret and water (or stock), bouquet garni,
tomato purée, sugar and salt.
Bring to the boil, stirring continually
Cover and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
Remove the bouquet garni, liquidise or seive finely.
It's at this stage that you can refrigerate some or all of the soup for use later in the day or the next day.
Reheat, uncovered, stirring frequently.
Mix the cornflower with the 4 tablespoons extra claret
Pour a little hot soup into the claret and mix, stirring vigourously
Add to the soup.
Heat and stir until thick
Simmer for three minutes.