Steve's Tomato-Basil Soup

A terrific warming soup for the winter months.  Inspired by an attempt to replicate the tomato-basil soup from Gordon Biersch, a San Francisco-based microbrewer with restaurants in CA and Seattle.

Recipe By:
Serving Size: 8
Cuisine: Italian
Main Ingredient: Tomatoes
Categories: Easy Cleanup, Brunch, Main Dish, Soup, Advance, Fall, Spring, Winter

-= Ingredients =-
2 cans Crushed Tomatoes
2 cups Chicken broth ; or vegetable broth for vegetarians
1 bunch Fresh basil
1 large Shallot
1/2 whole Onion ; diced
3 cloves Garlic ; sliced
2 tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 cup Cream
~~ -- appliance required:  blender or food processor ~~
3 tablespoon Sugar ; more as desired
Ground pepper ; to taste

-= Instructions =-
In a large stockpot, heat vegetable oil over medium-low heat.  Add sliced garlic, finely diced shallots and onion.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until onion starts to caramelize.

Add cans of crushed tomatoes; add sugar.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Stir in chicken broth.  Remove from heat and let cool a bit.  Working in batches, puree the soup mixture in a blender or liquid-tight food processor.  (NOTE:  Heated liquid expands tremendously when you try to puree it -- only fill it halfway full at most, each time!)  Put pureed mixture in a bowl, then rinse the stockpot out and put pureed soup base back in. 

OPTIONAL:  If you'd like a smooth texture to the soup, you should cool it and strain it at this point, working in batches, with a sieve.  (I prefer the more rustic texture of pureed but unstrained soup.)

It can remain in this state (refrigerated) for a few days, until ready to serve.

To serve, bring tomato soup mixture to medium heat, and then stir in cream.  (In this way, you are keeping the cream out of the pureeing step -- which might whip it -- and also the heating-to-boiling step -- which might curdle it.) 

Top with basil, rolled gently and sliced very thinly  (i.e., chiffonade).  Serve with crusty bread, salad, or cheese toasts; pair with a crisp Pinot Grigio or Savignon Blanc, or even a deep red like a Cabernet.