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Directions

  In a large sauce pan, sweat the onion, garlic and celery in olive oil until soft.

  When softened, combine with:

1 can (14oz) crushed tomatoes, with italian spices

1 can (6oz) tomato paste

4 cups chicken stock

4-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

  Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Adjust salt to taste.

  Remove from heat, and using a food processor, puree all of the soup and using a fine mesh strainer, strain back into a clean sauce pan. Return to heat.

  Add the additional chicken stock and adjust salt to taste. Bring back to simmering.

  Add the cream and bring soup just back to simmering, but do not boil. Serve when hot.

Kids!

Let your kids slide the skins off the tomatoes and squeeze out the seeds. It might make a bit of a mess, but they will have a blast!

Notes...

Substitute tomato concasse for the canned tomatoes. To make the concasse, drop about six roma tomatoes into boiling water for 90 seconds. Remove and immediately immerse the tomatoes in cold water. The skins will split and easily slide off the tomatoe. Then, squeeze the tomatoes gently to eject the seeds. The seeds are slightly bitter, so try to get as many of the seeds out as you can. Dice coarsely, and substitue 3 cups of the concasse for the canned tomatoes, along with about 1/2 tsp of dried oregano and 1/2 tsp kosher salt.