Pesto Tomato Soup

Pesto Tomato Soup

Hi everybody :)

Do you love tomatoes? There's nothing like a freshly-picked juicy ripe tomato.While looking through my collection, I picked this tomato soup recipe because of the combination of tomato and pesto, although it's made with canned tomato.  Tomato and pesto goes together like Romeo and Juliet. AAhhh ! I'm beginning to get too sappy. Come back to earth now; snap out of it! Whew! I almost got caught up for a minute. But, seriously, when I think of tomatoes, I think of pesto.

This soup is great served with garlic French rolls or cheesy bread sticks.

Pesto Tomato Soup from Classic Home Cooking
Serves 6-8

2 tbsp butter
2 onions, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp all-purpose flour (I added 2 tablespoons)
5 cups (1.25 liters) chicken or vegetable stock
26 oz (800g) canned tomatoes
1 bay leaf
salt and black pepper
1/4 cup (30 g) store-bought pesto
Garnish with heavy cream and fresh basil leaves

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onions and garlic, and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until soft but not browned. Add the flour to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Pour in the stock and add the tomatoes and their juice, the bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil, cover the pan, and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and discard. (See Note) Puree the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Return the soup to the rinsed-out pan, add the pesto, and heat through. Taste for seasoning. Serve at once, garnished with cream and fresh basil leaves.

Garnishing with cream: With a teaspoon, quickly swirl the heavy cream in a spiral on each serving.

What I Think:
The soup was delicious; the tomato and pesto were fantastic! 
NOTE: The only warning I have is when you're blending the soup, do a little at a time and make sure you hold the lid down while blending.

ENJOY! Come again.....

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