PROCESS:
Heat a sauce pan to medium high, add olive oil, diced onions, chopped garlic and fennel.
Season with salt and pepper Cook the vegetables until they begin to soften.
Add the tomatoes and allow to simmer at LOW heat for ten minutes with the lid on.
Tomatoes may be canned or fresh
While waiting for the tomatoes to simmer, heat heavy whipping cream on high in a saucepan.
Don't let the cream boil up and out of the pan and all over the stove!
When the cream is hot and the tomatoes are bubbling, add the cream to the tomatoes.
We need to heat both the cream and tomatoes or the acid in the tomatoes could make the cream curdle.
Let the soup simmer for a few minutes and then add fresh basil.
Blend the soup together with an immersion blender.
You may also use a blender or food processor, be careful the liquid is very hot!
Season with a little salt, pepper and a few squirts of your favorite hot sauce.
To serve:
Top the soup with a fresh basil leaf, some freshly grated parmesan cheese, and a few homemade croutons.
* for best results season the soup with The Food Guru's Steak Spice, see recipe spice chapter.
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups of canned whole tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 cup fresh fennel, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced
1 cup heavy whipping cream
hot sauce to taste