Cream of Vine Ripened Tomato Soup

• 2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten
• (5 to 6 Servings) 
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• Adapted and shared by Once Upon a Plate by Mari (www.onceuponaplate1.com)
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• Ingredients for Soup:
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• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions)
• 2 carrots, peeled 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 used 1/8 cup basil leaves, plus 4 sprigs of fresh thyme tied together with butchers' twine.)
• 3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (Stock would probably be better, but I used chicken broth from the carton)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste; Ina suggests 2 teaspoons
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Garnishes:  Ina suggests Croutons (see my notes below)*

Method:

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, 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. Discard thyme stems.

Add the cream to the soup and process it through a food mill into a bowl, discarding only pulp that's left. Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with garnish, see Notes.*

*Notes:  Ina suggests garnishing with croutons and juilenned basil leaves. 

Along with a shower of freshly ground black pepper, I have served this garnished two ways: 

1.) Fresh baby arugula leaves with crispy crumbled bacon. (Top photo)The bite of the arugula adds a nice contrast to the rich soup . . . and the bacon?  Ummm! 



2.) As shown above, with a Crouton (thinly sliced baguette slice, toasted/grilled) spread with spinach-basil pesto (In a food processor whir baby spinach leaves and a few basil leaves with a small clove of garlic and olive oil, plus salt and pepper to taste)

I hope you enjoy!

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