This is a lovely soup for the height of summer when the tomatoes are ripe and sweet.  If you happen to have some that are less ripe, no worries, simply fire up the oven, toss the halved tomatoes with olive oil to coat and roast the tomatoes for half an hour until they are very soft.  Add these to the soup with the other riper fruit.  The flavor boost from the roasting makes up for the lack of sweetness.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts, sliced
• 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 pounds ripe tomatoes, washed, cored and quartered
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ – ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 sprigs fresh basil
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon sugar (as needed, if tomatoes are on the acidic side)
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• Torn basil leaves and fresh croutons (optional)

Method:

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat.  Add the olive oil and butter, and warm until the butter is melted.  Add the onions and leeks and cook until soft but not brown.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
2. Add the tomatoes (and roasted tomatoes, if using – see notes), salt, basil sprigs, thyme sprig, bay leaf, black pepper and red pepper flakes.  Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until tomatoes are soft.
3. Add water and continue to cook for 10-15 more minutes, stirring occasionally and pressing on tomatoes to break them apart.
4. Remove herb sprigs and bay leaf.  Remove 2 cups of soup from the pot.  Purée with a handheld immersion blender, or food processor.  Put the remainder of the soup through a sieve to remove seeds and tomato skins.  Try to get as much out of the vegetable skins as possible, by pressing on the solids with the back of a wooden spoon.
5. Put strained soup and reserved soup back into the soup pot and add cream.  Stir to combine. Taste for sweetness and if needed add sugar and stir.  Reheat as necessary, then ladle into bowls and garnish with torn basil leaves and fresh croutons if desired.  Serve immediately.