The weather in Seattle this week has been so rainy that serious comfort food was in order. This is a great tomato soup recipe that I got from my friend Erin. I also found the original recipe online from Fine Cooking magazine. This simple recipe makes a lot of soup and believe me, you’ll want leftovers. My family loves it with grilled cheese sandwiches. I think that an immersion blender is key to getting everything mixed smoothly. Interestingly, the recipe calls for balsamic vinegar, which gives a distinctive taste that is fantastic for a grown-up palate. That said, I often leave it out when making the soup for kiddos. The weather’s getting warmer (fingers crossed), but in this house comfort food always hits the spot.

Tomato Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 sprigs fresh basil, tied together with kitchen twine
4 large (30-ounce) cans of whole tomatoes
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
salt and pepper
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (optional)

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add to the onions the tied basil sprigs, tomatoes, chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Puree the soup (in small batches once cooled in a blender or still hot using an immersion blender) until very smooth. Again, bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in the cream and balsamic vinegar and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil or grated cheese.