This month, the Book Club read Joanne Harris' Five Quarters of the Orange.

First, the title: Five Quarters of an Orange. Five? Quarters?? Doesn't make any mathematical sense, does it? But it all makes sense when you read the book. No, no, no - I won't spoil it for you by writing all about it here, if it intrigues you, go ahead and pick up the book. It is an awesome read.

So what is this book all about?

It is a story that runs between present day France and an occupied France during WWII. It also a story of how seemingly innocent childhood obsessions, infatuations and selfishness could snowball into unexpected horrors.

At its heart is its main protagonist, a 65 year old widow Francoise Simon who moves to Les Laveuses, a small village on the banks of the Loire. There, she runs a creperie, dishing out food largely based on the recipes that she inherited from her mother.

But, she hides a dark secret - she is actually Framboise Dartigen who lived on the same farm many years ago with her widowed mother, Mirabelle and a brother Cassis and sister Reinette - and she does not wish the villagers to know her true identity. For, their family is much abhorred in the village.

But her veil of disguise is a thin one that threatens to unravel with the growing popularity of her creperie.

As she deciphers the cryptic notes scribbled alongside recipes in her mother's recipe book, Framboise finally gets the full picture of what really happened on the farm when she was 9 and more importantly, her role in triggering the chain of events that led to the family being so maligned.

There is something magical about a bowl of steaming hot, tangy and spicy tomato basil soup, isn't it? Throw in a rainy day (we've been having quite a few of these lately) and you couldn't ask for anything more....well, other than some more soup!

Tomato pairs very well with basil and the addition of beetroot, squash and carrots not only makes it very healthy, but also imparts a lot of body and a lovely sweetness to the soup. Served with some garlic bread or some salad on the side, this soup makes for a great supper.

I do add cream occasionally, it gives the soup a lovely salmon colour, but the soup is very delicious even without the cream.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 5 large
Beetroot - 1/2
Squash/Pumpkin - 5 one inch cubes
Carrot - 1/2
Onion - 1 medium sized, chopped
Garlic - 1 large clove, chopped
Ginger - 1" piece, sliced
Cinnamon - 2 inch stick
Bay leaf - 1
Peppercorns - 6

Vinegar - 1.5 tbsp
Chicken/vegetable stock - 1/2 cup
Salt, pepper powder, chilli flakes and sugar, to taste
Fresh basil (italian) - 1 tbsp chopped OR dried basil - 1.5 tbsp, plus some more for garnish
Butter/olive oil - 1 tbsp

Optional:

fresh cream - 1/3 cup, plus some more for topping

Method:

Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds. Pressure cook the vegetables for 3 whistles alongwith the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, salt and sugar (don't add the chilli flakes and the pepper powder at this stage).

Saute the onion, ginger and garlic in butter till the onions turn pink. Once cooked, peel the tomatoes, beetroot and squash and saute with the onion for a minute. Then, blend everything together into a puree (discard the bay leaf and the cinnamon stick).

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Adjust the seasoning and add the basil, vinegar, pepper powder and chilli flakes. Add water or some more stock or some low fat milk to bring it your desired consistency. Add the cream, if using. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Garnish with basil leaves, top with a blob of fresh cream and serve.

Cheat's method:

This is what I do when I am feeling too lazy or if I am too pressed for time to do all the sauteing. Just pressure cook all the ingredients (the veggies, onion, garlic, ginger, bay leaf, cinnamon, salt and sugar) and then proceed as above.

This seems just right for Click -Red at Jugalbandi.

And yes, wish you all a Happy New Year!!

Update: I am also sending this to Winter Treat Event at Recipe Centre and to Lisa for No Croutons Required.