Tomato Bisque #2 (v)

Ingredients

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 C diced onion
• ½ C diced celery
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 32 oz vegetable stock
• 1 28-oz can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
• ½ tsp paprika
• Black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
• 3 tbs uncooked jasmine rice
• 1 tsp white sugar, or to taste
• ½ C heavy whipping cream
• 1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tbs thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, divided
• 2 tbs heavy cream, divided

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; sauté onion and celery with a pinch of salt until onion is translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add stock and tomatoes, bring to a simmer and season with paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
4. Turn heat to low and stir in rice. Skim foam occasionally and simmer until rice and vegetables are very tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Add sugar.
5. Blend soup with an immersion blender in the pot until smooth.
6. Whisk ½ C cream into soup and adjust levels of salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and sugar. If soup is too thick, add more stock; if soup is too thin, continue reducing until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
7. Ladle into warmed bowls. Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of cream and top with about 1 tsp chopped basil.

Chef's Notes

• This is a vegetarian recipe, vegan if the heavy cream is omitted