Cream of Tomato - Basil Soup

This is a quick recipe that is great served with a green salad and French bread with garlic butter....excellent! I add more garlic than the recipe calls for and it just gets better!

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2  tablespoons  chopped shallots
• 1  teaspoon  minced garlic
• 1 (10 1/2ounce) can condensed chicken broth
• 1  soup can water
• 1 (28 ounce)  chopped tomatoes
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh basil or 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dry basil
•  salt & pepper
• 3⁄4 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Heat oil in heavy saucepan. Add shallots and garlic and sauté over med-low heat 2-3 minutes -- be careful not to burn garlic.
2. Stir in broth, water, tomatoes and basil (if using fresh basil you will add it later). Add salt and pepper.
3. Heat cream till just warm (either on stove top in a separate sauce pan or in microwave) then stir into tomato mixture. Bring just to a boil; immediately reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. If using fresh basil, stir in at this point.
4. Do not allow soup to boil.
5. Serve immediately.
6. **Note** We like a smoother soup so I usually send the canned tomatoes through the blender or food processor before adding them to the mixture.