What I'm Cooking - Tomato Soup

Fall is here, and with it comes the triumphant return of soup in all its many forms. One of the easiest and most delicious options out there is tomato soup, and the Garden Fresh Tomato Soup recipe from AllRecipes.com has been my go-to choice for years now. This version incorporates the changes that one of the AR users suggested, and I think it makes the soup so much better.

Tomato Soup (recipe doubled)

8	cups chopped fresh tomatoes
	(or [2] 28oz cans and [1] 16oz can of whole peeled tomatoes)
2	large onions, chopped
8	cloves of garlic, chopped
4	cups of chicken or vegetable broth
4	tablespoons of butter
4	tablespoons of all-purpose flour
2	teaspoons of salt
½	teaspoon of sugar
2	tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
⅛	teaspoon cayenne pepper
3	tablespoons of fresh basil, torn
1	cup of heavy cream

1. In a large stock pot or dutch oven throw a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrent.



2. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Then and the broth, reduce to a simmer, and cover and cook for 20 minutes.

3. Add basil and then puree, using either an immersion blender (the greatest thing ever invented for soups) or by transferring it in batches to a blender. Once done, transfer soup to a separate container.



4. In your now empty pot, add the butter over medium heat and let melt. Then add the flour and stir continuously until a roux is formed. Once this is achieved, start adding to soup back into the pot in small amounts to make sure not lumps appear in the roux. Once you've added a few cups in go and pour in the rest.



5. At this point add all the other ingredients, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Depending on how much texture you like in your soup you can either give it another go with the immersion blender or strain the soup through a fine sieve. Personally I like the texture, but either way it's going to be delicious.