Tomato cream soup

Ingredients:

• 60 g unsalted butter
• 1 slice of bacon, finely chopped
• 1 Spanish onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 40 g of premium flour
• 4.5 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 1 can (800 g) of canned whole peeled tomatoes
• 3 sprigs of parsley
• 3 fresh sprigs of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 and 3/4 teaspoons coarse salt

Preparation:

1. In a large soup pot, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until crisp and the fat has rendered, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and mash the tomatoes directly into the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Tie the parsley and thyme sprigs and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen string and add to the pan. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
3. Remove and discard the greens. Pour the soup into a blender in batches and blend until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pan and reheat over medium heat.
4. Stir the heavy cream into the soup, season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and serve immediately.