/home

tomato and orzo soup with marinated feta

ingredients

1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
10 tablespoons olive oil, divided
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, finely crushed with a mortar and pestle
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1½ teaspoons paprika
1 cup/6 ounces orzo
1 teaspoon sugar
Fine sea salt and black pepper
4 cups (1 quart) store-bought or homemade chicken or vegetable stock, plus more if needed
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup parsley leaves and soft stems
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus extra if desired
6 ounces Greek feta, roughly crumbled

Add the onion, carrot and garlic to a small food processor and pulse until very finely chopped. (Alternatively, finely chop the vegetables by hand.)
In a large saucepan for which you have a lid, heat 4 tablespoons of oil over a medium-high heat. Add the vegetable mixture and cook for 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.
Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, oregano and paprika and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste has become a deep red. Stir in the orzo, sugar, 1½ teaspoons of salt and a generous grind of pepper, then pour in the stock. Bring to a simmer, then top with the lid and turn the heat down to medium-low.
Cook for 20 minutes, stirring a couple times throughout, until the orzo has cooked through and the soup has thickened. Add the cream, replace the lid and cook for 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper at this point. If you prefer a thinner soup, add a splash more stock or water.
While the soup is simmering, combine the parsley, crushed red pepper and remaining 6 tablespoons oil in the small food processor and blitz until smooth. (Alternatively, finely chop the parsley and then combine with the other ingredients.) Transfer to a bowl and stir in the feta.
To serve, divide the soup among four bowls and spoon over the marinated feta. Top with extra crushed red pepper if you like.