My own invention, you can make this with fresh, home-canned tomatoes with roasted garlic and basil or good quality canned plum tomatoes.
1 medium red or yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 quarts home-canned tomatoes, two 28-ounce cans plum tomatoes or 4 pounds (8 medium) fresh tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 cup chicken stock
kosher salt and pepper, to taste
5-6 fresh basil leaves, cut in ribbons, for garnish
Sauté onion, minced carrot and celery with pinch of salt over medium heat in heavy-bottomed soup pot, then reduce to low and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, chicken stock and dried thyme and basil, breaking tomatoes apart with wooden spoon. Cook covered, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 20 minutes. Use hand-held blender and puree. Serve now, with a little texture, or pass this through a food mill for a smoother soup. Garnish with slivered basil. Serves 5.
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