A delicious recipe for red pepper and tomato soup with a spicy egg

For a bowl of sunshine, try a rustic soup packed with the vivid goodness of tomato and red peppers, topped with a chili pepper-flecked fried egg. Read on for a delicious red pepper and tomato soup with a spicy egg recipe that's sure to please.

• Preparation: 10 minutes.
• Cooking: 25 minutes.
• Serves: 4.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 1 stick celery
• 2 red peppers
• 45 g (3 tbsp) olive oil
• 1 can (400 g/14 1/2 oz) chopped tomatoes
• 600 ml (2 1/2 c) hot chicken stock
• 1 scallion
• 4 eggs
• Pinch of hot pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. Chop the onion and dice the celery and peppers. Put 15 grams (one tablespoon) of the oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the onion, celery and red pepper and cook for about 30 seconds, or until sizzling. Reduce the heat to medium-high, cover and cook for five minutes, shaking the pot occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.
2. Add the tomatoes and stir in the hot stock. Return to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer the soup for 15 minutes. Trim and finely chop the scallion.
3. Heat the remaining 30 grams (two tablespoons) of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Break in the eggs and fry for one to two minutes, or until the whites are set but the yolks are soft.
4. Season the soup to taste and ladle into bowls. Float an egg on each portion and sprinkle with the chopped scallion and hot pepper flakes.

Each serving contains:

• 51 calories
• 19 g fat
• 4 g saturated fat
• 11 g carbohydrates
• 10 g protein
• 3 g fibre

If you prefer, you can break the eggs directly into the soup and allow them to poach for one to 1 1/2 minutes.

• The trick is to have the soup bubbling steadily when the eggs are added, then regulate the heat to keep the liquid simmering gently.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to each bowl before ladling in the soup.

• To boost the fibre content of this dish, drain a 400 gram (14 1/2 ounce) can of cannellini beans or red kidney beans and add them in step 2.
• For a meaty soup, add 75 grams (1/3 cup) sliced chorizo sausage to the soup at the end of step 3 to warm through while the eggs are frying.
• For a complete meal in a bowl, add 60 grams (1/4 cup) miniature pasta shapes in step 2 during the final five minutes of cooking.

• The antioxidant lycopene in tomatoes gives them their rich colour. Lycopene is more easily absorbed by the body from processed or cooked tomatoes, so it pays to enjoy them canned or in a paste, as well as fresh.
• As a rich source of potassium, tomatoes can help to regulate blood pressure, reducing the risk of stroke.

This delicious dish makes a filling snack or tasty light supper. Keep this recipe in mind and try it today!