Tomato, Bacon and Basil Soup
In case you didn’t know, I’m a recipe junkie. I’m a clipper, pinner, copier, collector, creator and it’s an addiction I’ve never outgrown. I have a collection of cookbooks that will rival any library! I have no idea where this recipe came from as it has been tucked away for years in a random recipe file. It was printed in the newspaper, but that’s all I know, I made a few adjustments and hope you give it a try. If you do, please share in the comments below.
Tomato, Bacon and Basil Soup
Ingredients
1/2 lb. bacon, cut into chunks
1 medium sized onion, peeled and sliced
5 ribs of celery, coarsely chopped
1 head of garlic or about 8 large cloves, peeled and smashed
1 1/2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
2 cans (28 oz each) peeled whole Italian tomatoes
4 cups (1 qt.) chicken stock
1 cup tomato juice
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1-2 oz. fresh basil, washed (do not remove stems)
1.5 cups heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
Method
In a large pot, cook bacon over medium heat until the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add onions, celery and the garlic to the pot of remaining bacon fat and stir. Continue stirring and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Once this is done, sprinkle in the flour to the vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Keep stirring for about 3-5 minutes to cook down the flour. Add in the tomatoes, stock, tomato juice, paste and some of the reserved bacon. (keep some aside for garnish). Simmer slowly over medium heat for 45 minutes.
Add in the basil and the cream. Return the soup to a boil. Once it has come to a boil. Remove from heat and ladle about 2 cups at a time into a blender and puree. Strain the soup through a sieve (if desired). Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with additional fried bacon, fresh basil, or croutons if desired. Enjoy!
