Ingredients

• 4 T unsalted butter
• 1 T bacon, raw, minced
• 1 C sweet onion, chopped
• 1 ea carrot, chopped
• 1 ea celery stalk, chopped
• 4 cl garlic, minced
• 5 T flour
• 5 C chicken broth
• 1 cn whole, peeled tomatoes, rough chop
• 6 ea parsley sprigs
• 6 ea fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 ea bay leaf
• 1 C heavy cream

Options

• 1 ea Serrano chile, chopped
• 1 ea red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 ea fresh Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 3/4 C gin

Instructions

1. Tie together the parsley, thyme and bay leaf. Crisp the bacon in the butter, then remove the bacon.
2. Saute the onion, carrots, celery and garlic in the bacon fat. Whnisk in the flour, then add the broth, tomatoes, herb bundle, and options (other than the gin). Bring to a boil, simmer for 30 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Remove the herb bundle, then puree the soup until smooth. Strain out the solids and return the soup to the pot. Whisk in the gin, then the cream and season to taste.
4. Plate and serve hot.

Source: Karen Evanetich

Contributed by: Linda