Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup

This was probably one of the best soups I have ever tried. Ina Garten never fails. 

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup

2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, All Rights Reserved

Serves: 5 to 6 servings

·   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

·   3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

·   1 tablespoon kosher salt

·   2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

·   3/4 cup cream

·   Croutons, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, 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 to the soup and process it through a food mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp that's left. Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves and/or croutons.