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Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large or 2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 2 pounds tomatoes, cored and chopped, or one 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, including the juice
• 2 to 3 cups water or tomato juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional

Directions

1. Put the oil in a pot over medium heat.
2. When hot, add the onion and carrot, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste, lower the heat a bit, and continue to cook, stirring to coat the vegetables with the paste, until the paste begins to darken, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Strip the thyme leaves from the stem and add them to the pot along with the tomatoes.
5. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down, 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Add 2 cups of the water and bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles.
7. Let the soup cook until the flavors meld, 5 more minutes.
8. Taste and adjust the seasoning; if the soup tastes flat, stir in the sugar.
9. If the soup is too thick, add more water, 1/4 cup at a time.
10. If it's too thin, continue to cook until it thickens and reduces slightly.
11. Garnish with the basil and serve.

Attribution