Fresh Summer Tomato-Basil Soup

Tonight I made the most amazing tomato soup, and it was from scratch! I've always wanted to make a tomato soup from scratch and have always pushed it off, thinking it would take a long time or be difficult to get the right texture. Well, the right texture, I got, and difficult, it was not! This soup is so perfect and goes along well with my no-fake-all-fresh approach. It even got a 9 on the Hub-O-Meter, (though I think he was being stingy and holding back a 10, 'cause he really loved it...and he dislikes tomatoes!) I made a ton of changes to a recipe I found online and the only ingredient in this soup that was not fresh was some canned fat-free, reduced sodium chicken stock. The recipe makes just about 3 big bowlfuls (though I sorta, maybe filled only 2 bowls with it, it was so good!) so next time I will at least double it. This soup will stay with us forever, an instant favorite!

Fresh Summer Tomato-Basil Soup

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 good-sized garlic cloves, smashed and coarsely minced
• 1/2 of a large onion or one small, chopped
• 5 standard globe or beefsteak tomatoes diced(beefsteak: may only need 4 since they're rather large, though it would make more soup) about 4 cups diced
• 1 can of fat-free, reduced sodium chicken stock (about 2 cups)
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp fresh chopped basil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp pepper, or to taste

1. Over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic until soft, in a stockpot. Add the chopped tomatoes and bay leaves and bring to a boil, turn the heat down a little, still keeping it high and cook for about 25 minutes. A nice orange color will start coming out of the tomatoes.

2. Remove the bay leaves and cool for a couple minutes. Add the mixture to a blender and puree until it is nice and smooth and fluid. Add the basil and puree a little more.

3. In the pot on the stove melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and create a roux, stirring constantly, keeping the flour from burning. Cook this for about 5 minutes or so until a nice light brown color and to remove any flour taste.

4. Add a bit of the tomato mixture and stir until well combined to avoid lumps. Add the rest of the tomato, and the heavy cream. Stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper and allow to heat through. For a less creamy soup, you don't need to add the heavy cream. Serve with bread.

I served mine with an open-faced grilled cheese. Spread a little margarine spread on a piece of sourdough bread, and toast in a 400 degree oven for 3-4 minutes. Top with thin sliced mozzarella and fresh cracked pepper, heat for another 5 minutes.

Photos by The Chocolate Cookie