Fresh tomato soup. 

(America's Test Kitchen (one of my favorite well tested cook books)

When I was a little girl my grandmother would make a warm and tasty soup from the tomatoes, onions and basil my grandfather grew in his garden. 

This recipe uses canned tomatoes instead of fresh so that you can make it all winter long not just when tomatoes are plentiful.  I use San Marzano tomatoes as they have a rich taste that I highly recommend over other canned tomatoes.

Ingredients: 

4 Tablespoons butter 

2 (28 ounce can diced tomatoes) - I use San Marzano peeled whole tomatoes and chop them up used kitchen sheers in the pot. DRAIN SAUCE KEEPING IT ASIDE FOR LATER USE.

---(THE SAUCE IN THE SAN MARZANO TOMATOES IS THICK SO I JUST PLUCK THE WHOLE TOMATOES OUT: SQUEEZE A BIT TO GET SOME OF THE JUICES OUT OF EACH TOMATO 
PLACE THE SAUCE IN A BOWL FOR LATER USE - juice should yield 3 cups) 

1 onion chopped fine

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1 Tablespoon tomato paste (I use the tube kind as it is not wasteful)

2 Tablespoons flour 

1-3/4 cup chicken broth 

1/2 cup heavy cream 

s/p

if you want you can use a little cayenne for extra heat

1. Melt butter in a large dutch oven over medium high heat, add drained tomatoes, brown sugar, onions, and the tomato paste. Cook stirring every so often until the onions are soft and the tomatoes and are thickening.  (about 15 to 20 minutes) 

2. Add flour and cook about a minute or so (this thickens the dish) stirring consistently 

3. add the broth and the reserved juice/sauce from the canned tomatoes,  stir well to  get any brown bits off the bottom of the pan (reduce to simmer - it bubbles just a bit and is not a boil)

4. cook, COVERED, for 10 to 15 minutes on lower heat (simmer), take off heat and puree* 

5. (*Puree - some people use a blender using batches at a time but I use a Immersion blender in the pot) 

6. - stir in the cream 

7- salt and pepper to taste - taste as you season 

(salt will bring out the sweetness you added earlier in the 

dish)

 additional serving suggestions... 

a. I like a little basil shredded in each bowl 

b. I also like adding croutons: sliced crisp bread cut into cubes mixed with 2 Tablespoons of sundried tomato oil, and salt and pepper - placed in a 375 degree oven until toasted)