Brodo di Pomodoro

I have been buying Isle of Wight tomatoes from our farm shop, and they are delicious. Although tomato salads, risotti and sauces are popular with my family, there is nothing more appetising than a delicate, umami-rich tomato broth to serve as an antipasto.

You can serve with freshly sliced tomatoes and bread or just by itself. The taste is fruity, umami-rich because of the intensity of the mushroom flavour in the brodo.

Ingredients to make approximately 1 litre

2 onions – topped and tailed, not peeled, cut into small pieces

2 carrots – topped and tailed, not peeled, cut into small pieces

2 stalks of celery – topped and tailed, cut into small pieces

2 cloves of garlic – topped and tailed, not peeled, cut into small pieces

2 leeks – 2 cloves of garlic – topped and tailed, not peeled, cut into small pieces

8-10 mushrooms – with the stem, brushed clean, cut into small pieces

4 cloves

4 peppercorns

4 cardamom pods

1 x 450 tin of chopped tomatoes

100g. of tomato puree

1 bunch of fresh garden herbs {I use rosemary, sage, chives, thyme, bay}

Sea salt and black pepper

To serve: freshly cut tomatoes, bread.

Method

Place all the ingredients into a heavy soup pot. Season with sea salt and pepper. Cover all the ingredients with water – around 1 litre. Mix well.

Heat the brodo to a very gentle simmer {do not boil}. Then turn the heat down, and simmer very gently with the lid on for about 20 minutes.

Turn the heat off, and allow the brodo to cool for another 20 minutes, with the lid on.

Drain and strain the brodo into a bowl, and taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.

Ladle into serving bowls and add chopped tomatoes, if you like. Serve either warm or at room temperature.