Spicy Tomato Bisque

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 4 quarts fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 piece bacon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 tablespoons flour
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 banana peppers, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 6 sprigs thyme, tied together
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2-1 tablespoon salt (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup 2% low-fat milk
• 1 cup whipping cream

Recipe

• 1 combine tomatoes and broth; bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.
• 2 in the meantime, fry bacon until crisp, remove and reserve.
• 3 add olive oil, onions, celery, peppers and carrots to pan and sauté until tender; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes; add flour and cook 3 minutes, then puree mixture and add 3 cups of tomato mixture and puree until smooth.
• 4 incorporate 1 ladle of puree into tomato mixture at a time, add bacon, then puree entire soup.
• 5 add basil, thyme, and bay leaves and simmer 30 minutes, then remove bay leaf and thyme. add milk and cream and season to taste.
• 6 use tony chacheres instead of salt if you like things spicy.