Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup

We pulled the garden out yesterday, all the ripe tomatoes and the green ones we hope will ripen.  I made this soup to celebrate--I always feel relieved when the last of the produce is in.  A neighbor shared this recipe with me, it has a chunky texture as written, but if you want smooth, you can puree it in a blender or food processor.

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup
Peel and chop fresh tomatoes to equal about 4 cups
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. sugar
dash of ground cloves

Simmer for 20 min. or more for a more concentrated flavor. 

In a large measuring cup, make a roux by mixing 2 Tbsp. melted butter and 2 Tbsp. flour.  Whisk until smooth, then add 2 c. milk slowly while whisking to incorporate.  Add roux to the simmering tomatoes while stirring.  Simmer until slightly thickened and remove from heat before it curdles.  Remove bay leaves.  Makes 4 servings.

Notes:  Don't be afraid of the spices in the soup, they are there, but they don't really announce themselves.  Next time I make this, I am going to saute the onion in a bit of olive oil before adding the tomatoes to soften the onions and increase their flavor.  You can use 1 c. evaporated milk and 1 c. water in place of the milk.  Evaporated milk reduces the chances of curdling the final product.  The soup is pictured with skillet croutons.

Jenny