Fresh Tomato and Basil Soup

Recipe by Ina Garten that I found on the Care2 website. Sounds delicious and as it uses 2 of my favourite ingredients I'm posting here for safe keeping.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 4 serves

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
• 2  red onions, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2  carrots, chopped
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 5  tomatoes, large and vine ripened and coarsely chopped
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons sugar
• 1  tablespoon tomato paste
• 1⁄4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 3  cups  stock, vegetable
• 1 -1 1⁄2 tablespoon salt, coarsee
• 2  tablespoons pepper, freshly ground
• 3⁄4 cup heavy cream
•  fresh basil leaf (to garnish)

Directions

1. In a large, heavy pot over medium-low heat, heat oil. Stir in onions and carrots and cook until very tender, 10-15 minutes.
2. Stir in garlic and saute for an additional 1 minute.
3. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, vegetable stock, salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, and lower the heat and simmer until the tomatoes have become very tender, about 30-40 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in cream.
5. Run the soup through a food mill, if you have one, and discard the dry pulp leftover. If you don’t have a food mill, puree the soup in either an immersion blender or food processor.
6. Return the soup to the pot, and gently reheat until just hot.
7. Garnish with basil and serve.