Cream of Tomato Soup

I know you can just go buy a can of soup and then add either water or milk and it’s ready. Try this one and you won’t want to go and just buy it again. It only takes 30-35 minutes to prepare and so worth it.

• 4 cups chicken stocks
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 small onion, chopped fine
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped fine
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 sprig thyme, leaves only
• 1 bay leaf
• 1  can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup whipping cream

In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, garlic, thyme, pepper flakes and bay leaf. Sweat these off without browning any of it.

Add the tomatoes and stock. Bring this to a full boil then reduce the heat and continue cooking for 40 minutes or so. Remove the bay leaf and now, CAREFULLY, puree the contents. When smooth, add the whipping cream. and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Now, for the ‘take 5’ moment, take:

• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 tbsp. grated lime zest

Whip the cream to stiff peaks, add a dollop on top of each soup serving, and sprinkle some zest over it.

All that is needed is a couple of crackers, glass of chilled white wine and voila!!!! Yummy.

*If you grew too many tomatoes either last year or earlier in the year and froze them. Use them, they make such a difference in pure, fresh flavour.