Summer Cream of Tomato Soup

I am finally getting around to posting this recipe for Cream of Tomato Soup. I made this Friday for our dinner. I am trying to ween us off canned soups and other premade food as much as I can and since it was a cold day I decided to make tomato soup and grilled cheese (please if you make use real cheese and not the processed cheese slices the sandwiches taste soooo much better!). There are a couple of mental hurdles to get over in this homemade tomato soup especially if you grew up on canned tomato soup. One is the flavor it actually tastes like tomatoes. Two this is a summer cream of tomato soup and is not the thick creamy soup you probably have in your mind, but it still has a light creamy texture and taste. Enjoy and Have a Great Cookin' Day!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
3 or 4 sprigs fresh thyme or a pinch of dried thyme
6-8 ripe tomatoes (about 2 pounds), coarsely chopped
3 cups chicken broth (I used a premade broth, but homemade would be better)
about 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
ground pepper
a little sugar
chopped chives (optional for garnish)

Gather ingredients.

Don't forget anything!

Wash and chop 2 pounds of tomatoes.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2-3 quart pot.

Add tomatoes, 3 cups chicken broth, and thyme (fresh or dried) and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes.

Add half the mixture to blender or food processor and puree.

Pour puree tomatoes a little at a time through a fine mesh sieve and push mixture through with a spoon. When done with first batch then repeat above step and this step again with second half of batch of cooked tomatoes.



This is what mixture looks like after pushing it through sieve. It collects the seeds which you don't want in the soup. You will have to rinse off a couple of times during the process.



Wipe out your pot to remove any tomato seeds. Return mixture to pot, gently heat it and stir in the 1/2 cup of heavy cream a little at a time. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and a little sugar if the soup tastes a little acidic from the tomatoes.

Garnish with chives (optional). We just topped with pepper and served with grilled cheese sandwiches (made with mild cheddar cheese). Enjoy!