tomato basil soup

With the abundance of tomatoes we're getting from our little backyard garden, I've been racking my brain trying to find recipes to use them all. Unfortunately our tomatoes at our own garden got the blight this year and we've had a very slim crop. I couldn't imagine if they would have survived though, we'd have them coming out of our ears. In searching through my recipe binder I found this recipe I had printed out long ago and never got around to making - I just never had 8 tomatoes laying around or if I did, then it was the middle of winter and I didn't have basil right outside my kitchen growing in our little herb garden.

I've been looking forward to making this all weekend and with a few adjustments (the addition of crushed red pepper & liberally salting & peppering the soup), it came out pretty delicious, especially when served with a grilled cheese on homemade crusty bread.

Tomato Basil Soup

1 T olive oil
2 medium leek(s), chopped (white parts only)

8 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped (about 3 lbs)

1 tsp dried thyme
1 T red pepper flakes

1 piece(s) bay leaf

4 C water

12 oz evaporated milk

2 T basil, fresh, chopped salt, to taste black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add leeks and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, thyme and bay leaf; cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes break down, about 5 minutes. Add broth and reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Remove from heat and remove bay leaf.

Puree tomato mixture in saucepan using an immersion blender. Or, working in batches, puree tomato mixture in a blender until smooth (be careful not to splatter hot liquid); return puree to saucepan and set pan over low heat. Add milk and simmer 1 minute to heat through. Remove from heat and stir in basil; season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan before serving.

recipe adapted from weightwatchers.com