Tomato Basil Soup

Instructions

1. Melt the butter with the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of the salt and cook, stirring now and then, until soft and translucent but not browned, 8–10 minutes.

   Start 8:00 timer

2. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and only just starting to color, about 1 minute. Keep it moving so it doesn't scorch.

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3. Pour in the tomatoes and their juice, then break each tomato up against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Stir in the broth, the pepper and the rest of the salt, and bring to a boil.

4. Lower the heat, partly cover and simmer, stirring once or twice, until the tomatoes have collapsed and the soup has thickened slightly, 15–20 minutes.

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5. Turn off the heat and stir in the basil. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender, keeping the blade under the surface. With a countertop blender, work in batches with the jar no more than half full and the lid's center cap removed, holding a folded towel over the opening so steam can escape instead of forcing the lid off.

6. Return the soup to the pot over low heat and stir in the cream. Warm it through without letting it boil, then taste and add more salt, plus the sugar if the soup tastes sharp. Serve topped with the reserved basil leaves.