In marketing, we are encouraged to stay away from superlatives. The “best,” “fastest,” and “industry’s first” are all phrases scorned upon by those with legal degrees, protecting the company from all things verboten, rightfully so; however, here I will take the opportunity to tout recipes with any qualifier that I deem fit.

On that note, this is definitely a great the best Tomato Basil Soup. It is an easy recipe, too. A semi-homemade-type recipe including things coming in cans and avoiding all chopping. The salt brings out the sweetness of the cream and butter, and the stock and cream make a smooth base for the tomatoes.

My favorite part is that this recipe is light enough, with a distinct flavor, that it can be a great first course for a pasta or chicken dish, or an easy complement to dress-up homemade pizza.

Tomato Basil Soup

serves 8.

3 cans crushed whole tomatoes, drained

3 cans chicken broth

14 washed fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish

1 cup heavy cream**

1/4 pound sweet, unsalted butter

Salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Combine tomatoes and broth in saucepan. Simmer 30 minutes.

Move tomatoes and broth to blender or food processor.

Puree, along with the basil leaves. Here, you can choose how smooth you want the soup. Either puree the broth and tomatoes until completely smooth, or leave some tomato chunks if you want s thicker soup.

Return to saucepan and add cream and butter, while stirring, over low heat. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with your favorite bread.