Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup

2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, All Rights Reserved

Notes by Deborah Hobbs

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons good olive oil

• 1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions)

• 2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

• 4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish – I use 4 cups of basil and add ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (DJH)

• 3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• 3/4 cup heavy cream (can use whole milk - DJH)

• Croutons, for garnish

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and sauté for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.

Add the cream/milk to the soup and process it through a food mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp that's left. (I just run a stick blender through it. The seeds and skins give good flavor - DJH) Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves and/or croutons.

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min

Serves: 5 to 6 servings