Tomato Soup with Cream and Cognac
For a different flavor, you can substitute 4–5 tablespoons of brandy for the cognac.
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
- 16 medium tomatoes
- 1 large onion
- ⅓ cup walnut oil or butter
- 2 cups Basic Vegetable Broth
- Crushed basil or oregano leaves
- 1 pint heavy or medium cream
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 4–5 tablespoons cognac
- Salt and pepper
Peel the tomatoes by bringing a large pan of water to a rolling boil. Drop the tomatoes in the water for about 15 seconds (the tomato peels should just begin to split open), then drain. Rinse the tomatoes with cold water; peel the tomatoes and discard the skins. Cut the tomatoes into chunks and crush them in a bowl with the back of a large spoon.
Finely chop the onion.
In a large soup pot, heat the oil on medium; add the onions and sauté them for about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup of broth, and a few crushed basil (or oregano) leaves. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Force the mixture through a sieve, removing only the seeds and any tough onion pieces. Put the sieved mixture back on low heat.
In a saucepan, warm the cream and the brown sugar until it is almost to the boiling point (do not let it boil); using a whisk, quickly pour it into the soup pot with the tomato mixture.
Add the cognac, and salt and pepper to taste. Keeps for up to 1 week in the fridge.
