Roux-Enriched Tomato Soup With Croutons

Ingredients

• 1 quart canned or fresh tomatoes
• 1 pint water or stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig parsley
• 1 stalk celery
• 6 peppercorns
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp flour
• Salt to taste
• Small croutons for garnish

Method

1. 1 Combine tomatoes, water or stock, bay leaf, parsley, celery, peppercorns, and sugar in a saucepan. Simmer until tomatoes are thoroughly soft.
2. 2 In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sliced onion and fry until soft but not browned.
3. 3 Add flour to the onion mixture and cook briefly without browning to make a roux. Stir in a small amount of the tomato liquid to dilute, then mix into the main pot.
4. 4 Season with salt. Strain the soup through a fine sieve or strainer. Reheat before serving and garnish with croutons.