Creamy Tomato Pesto Soup

Just, YUMMY!  This has become an old stand-by and well-loved favorite. I created this recipe years ago combining a standard recipe I found for tomato soup and ideas I had to recreate a Tomato Pesto Soup I love at a local soup and sandwich shop. 

Creamy Tomato Pesto Soup

2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T unsalted butter
1 large white onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, smashed and peeled
2 T all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
28 oz. can whole peeled plum tomatoes, including the juice
1 ½ tsp sugar
1 spring fresh thyme
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
3 T freshly sliced basic, chives, or dill, or a mixture of all three
½ cup pesto
1 cup light cream
1 cup parmesan cheese

In a 5-6 quart Dutch oven heat the oil and butter over medium-low heat until the butter melts.  Add the onion and garlic, cook stirring occasionally until soft but not browned, about 8 minutes.  Add the flour and stir to coat the onion and garlic.

Add the broth, tomatoes, sugar, thyme and ¼ tsp salt and pepper.  Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat while stirring the mixture to make sure the flour does not stick to the bottom of the pan.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes.

Discard the thyme spring.  Let cool briefly.  Add the herbs and pesto and then puree in two or three batches in a blender or food processor or all at once with immersion blender.  Return the soup to the pot.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add cream and parmesan cheese.  Stir and serve.

NOTE: I have made this with local onions, garlic, tomatoes(crushed), herbs, and pesto.