Creamy Tomato Bisque

Tomato bisque is a thick soup of vine-ripened summer tomatoes and a dose of cream for sweetness. Puree this soup in a blender, rather than a food processor, to give it a velvety texture.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
8 large ripe red tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
4 cups Chicken stock
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup heavy cream
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, and sugar and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid is reduced by one quarter, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.


In a blender, puree the soup in several batches until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Strain into a clean pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reheat gently over low heat. (This can be made up to 2 days in advance; cover and refrigerate.)


TO SERVE: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the fresh mint.