Ingredients:

2 28 oz (796 ml) cans of Whole Tomatoes (or about 4 pounds of fresh tomatoes, peeled)

1 cup Chicken Broth

½ Small Onion, diced

½ teaspoon Minced Garlic

¼ teaspoon Basil

¼ teaspoon Thyme

3 tablespoons Butter

2 tablespoons Flour

Salt to taste

Black Pepper to taste

Method:

1. Put all tomatoes into a blender and liquefy them.

2. In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium to medium low heat. Add ½ small diced onion and ½ teaspoon minced garlic to the pot. Saute the onions and garlic over medium to medium low heat for a few minutes. You don’t want to put any colour on them you just want to sweat them a little.

3. Once the onions and garlic have cooked for a couple of minutes (they don’t have to be completely cooked), add the liquefied tomatoes. If needed, sieve out the seeds.

4. Add ¼ teaspoon basil, ¼ teaspoon thyme, and one cup of chicken broth. Stir well.

5. Bring the heat up to high and stir the soup occasionally as it comes to a boil.

6. Once the soup boils turn the heat down to low and allow the soup to simmer, uncovered, for three hours, stirring every 15 to 30 minutes as needed.

7. After the three hour simmer blend the soup in order to incorporate the onions completely and make the soup very smooth. Do this in two to three batches and be careful. If you want to wait a few minute and let the soup cool before you blend that is ok.

8. In a separate saucepan melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium to medium low heat.

9. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the butter. Whisk quickly to incorporate the flour and butter.

10. Continue whisking the roux until it darkens slightly and become a reddish light brown colour.

11. Add a little bit of soup to the roux and whisk quickly

12. Once that is incorporated add a little more and repeat the process.

13. Add the rest of the soup to the roux mixture and mix well until homogeneous.

14. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

15. If desired add milk or water to achieve the texture you want.

Credit: thecookinggeek