In Madeira there are dedicated stopping places for soup such as La Casa de Abrigo do Poiso. There you’ll taste the best tomato soup on the island, a reduction of tomatoes and onions with no added water, topped with a slice of bread and a poached egg.

There are also many variations of this soup on Madeira, including a quick version: the same ingredients are cooked for about 15 minutes and then puréed in a blender. The texture and depth of flavor aren’t quite the same, but it’s still delicious. Since this version doesn’t have time to reduce, you can add 2 cooked potatoes to the blender to thicken the soup.

Some cooks flavor the recipe with a sprig of thyme or coriander.

1. Slice the onion thinly and place in a heavy saucepan;
2. blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for a few seconds; remove the skins; add to the onion; season with salt and pepper; add the garlic and olive oil;
3. cover and simmer over very low heat until the onions are translucent and the tomatoes have broken down completely. Watch the saucepan carefully so that you can remove it from the heat before the tomatoes dry out.
4. Just before serving, poach one egg per person – the yolks should still be runny;
5. ladle the soup into bowls; top with a slice of bread and a poached egg; serve immediately.