'Tis the Season

I didn't think I liked tomato soup. Probably because I haven't eaten it since I decided that after a bowl of Campbell's Cream of Tomato. Not a fair test.

You can use canned tomatoes for this when it's cold out and nothing of summer remains, but as long as the gardens are going strong you may as well make use of the abundance.

Creamy Tomato Soup

(Makes 4 servings)

3 cloves garlic

1 stalk celery

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon Applewood smoked salt, or kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons flour

28 ounces fresh tomatoes, or can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream

Place the garlic and celery in the Vita-Mix container and pulse on #4 in short bursts until coarsely chopped.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic/celery, cayenne, salt and black pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook 1 minute more.

Transfer the mixture to a saucepan. Add tomatoes and sugar and reduce to simmer. Simmer covered for 35 minutes.

Pour tomato mixture into the Vita-Mix container. Start on variable #1, increase to #10, then high for 1 minute, until completely smooth.

At this point the soup can be refrigerated until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, heat over medium heat and stir in the cream.

Garnish with a drizzle of cream (optional).