Zone Diet Recipe ~ Tomato & Basil Soup Recipe

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
0.5 tsp castor sugar
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 potato, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
675 gram ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 tsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 thyme sprig
1 oregano sprig
4 fresh basil leaves, coarsely torn
1.25 cups light chicken or vegetable stock
3 pieces sun-dried in oil, drained
2 tbsp shredded fresh basil leaves
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pan over low heat.
Add onion, sprinkle with sugar and cook gently for 5 minutes.

Add in carrot and potato. Stir well.
Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook gently for further 10 minutes until the vegetables are just beginning to soften but do not let them color.

Stir in garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, torn basil leaves, stock, salt and pepper to taste.
Cover the pan again with the lid and simmer gently for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Remove the pan from the heat and press the soup through a strainer or food mill to extract all the skins and seeds.
Taste the soup and season again with salt and pepper if necessary.

Return the soup to the pan and reheat gently.
Then ladle into four warmed soup bowls.
Finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes and mix with a little oil from the jar.
Add a spoonful to each serving. Sprinkle the shredded basil over the top and ready to serve.