How to Make Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 medium white or yellow onion
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
• Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
• One 46-ounce bottle or can of tomato juice
• 3 to 6 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 or 2 tablespoons of chicken base, or 3 chicken bouillon cubes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup of sherry (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. To begin, dice the onion. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven. Throw in the onion and cook until translucent.
2. Now, dump in the diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the tomato juice.
3. Next – and this is important – to combat the acidity of the tomatoes, add 3 to 6 tablespoons of sugar.
   Now, you’ll want to start on the low side, then taste and add more as needed.
4. Next, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of chicken base to the pot. (I added 3, and it wound up being a little too much.)
5. Now, you can add lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, then heat almost to a boil.
6. Then, turn off the heat. Add in the sherry if desired. Stir in the cream. Add the basil and parsley, and stir.
7. Serve the soup warm.