Cream Of Tomato Soup, Belgian-style

Total Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped or 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, with their juices coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• salt, to taste
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2-4 cups beef broth or 3 1/2-4 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (or whipping)
• 8 tablespoons madeira wine (to taste) or 8 tablespoons cognac (to taste)
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and cut into small cubes
• finely minced fresh chives, chervil or parsley

Recipe

• 1 melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large soup kettle over medium heat. add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring ocassionally with a wooden spoon, until softened but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
• 2 add the tomatoes, sugar, cayenne, and a little salt. cook gently over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring ocassionally. let the tomato mixture cool slightly, then purée it in a blender or food processor or press it through a food mill. set aside.
• 3 melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the soup kettle over low heat. sprinkle in the flour and stir until smooth. gradually add the broth while stirring constantly with a wire whisk. continue to cook until you have a thick, velvety sauce the consistency of heavy cream. still whisking, let it boil up once or twice to get rid of any pasty flour taste.
• 4 remove the soup from the heat and whisk in the tomato mixture. let rest until just before serving. (the soup may be prepared a day ahead up to this point. cool to room temperature and refrigerate covered.).
• 5 gently reheat the tomato soup but be careful not to let it come to a boil. stir in the cream and the madeira (or cognac). season to taste with salt and pepper. the soup can be reheated later, but do not let it come to a boil or the cream will curdle.
• 6 prepare the garnish: melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. add the tomato and sauté for 1 minute. season with salt and pepper and stir into the hot tomato soup. sprinkle with the minced fresh herbs and serve at once.