How to make roasted physalis and tomato soup

Physalis aka Cape gooseberry or groundcherry has a sweet acidic taste which intensifies with roasting. When mixed with well-fired tomatoes in Beverley Hicks’s soup the result is sweet, sour and warming

(Beverley Hicks)

Roasted physalis and tomato soup

Serves 3

300g physalis, pricked with a fork
600g baby plum tomatoes, pricked with a fork
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
600ml vegetable stock
1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Red, orange and yellow pepper slithers, to decorate

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4.

Put the physalis, tomatoes and onion quarters in a large roasting dish and pour over the rapeseed oil. Shake so that everything is coated. Sprinkle over some salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

Tip the roasted vegetables and fruits into a medium saucepan and sprinkle over the smoked paprika.

Pour in the vegetable stock and blend with a stick blender until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

When ready to serve, bring the soup up to boiling then turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Ladle into warmed soup bowls and garnish with slithers of red, orange and yellow peppers and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Follow Beverley Hicks @thelittlechelseakitchen