This rich and velvety Tomato Bisque soup is bursting with flavor, offering a comforting blend of tomatoes and aromatic basil. Savor this luxurious, tomato-infused soup as a cozy weeknight dinner, a hearty lunch, or a delightful starter for your next dinner gathering. Pair it with toasted cheesy bread for a delightful textural contrast, and you'll feel like you're in The Quiet Woman.

Tomato Bisque

appetizers

COCKTAILS

6 carrots diced
1 bunch of celery
2 tbsp Fresh Garlic minced
4 tbsp Kosher salt
2 cups of AP. Flour
1 1b. Unsalted Butter
2 cups Brandy
1 qt. Heavy Cream
1 handful of fresh Thyme
6 Bay leaves
10 parsley stems (put these all on a cheese cloth)
10 Whole black Peppercorns
6 oz Chicken Base
Water filled to the pot handle

Ingredients

Basil Oil

Melt butter and sweat onion, carrot, celery for 5 minutes then add garlic, salt and sweat of a minute or two (careful not to bum).
Stir in flour to mixture. Make a roux and cook for 2 min.
Add Brandy and cook until soaked up.
Add tomatoes, water and chicken base; add all of the herbs and peppercorns that are wrapped in cheesecloth.
Bring up to boil and then drop temp to a simmer for 1 hour.
Remove cheese cloth mixture and puree contents. Put cheese clothe back into soup.
Simmer for 1 1/2 hours until desired thickness, add cream and simmer for another ⅛ hour, remove cheesecloth.
Strain through a fine china cap.

Procedure

3 cups of packed basil leaves
¾ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Ingredients

In a strainer plunge leaves into a pot of boiling salted water for 15 seconds. Remove and immediately plunge the strainer into a bowl of iced water to blanch.
Drain the herbs and squeeze as dry as possible.
Using scissors, cut the herbs into small pieces.
Add half the herbs and half the oil to a blender on medium for 1 minute. Turn blender to high for 2 minutes and then add the rest of the herbs and the oil. If mixture starts to get hot remove cover.
Refrigerate puree mixture overnight to intensify color.
Place a piece of cheesecloth over a container, secure with an elastic, turn upside down and let the oil strain through the cheesecloth for about an hour.
Basil oil with keep in the fridge for a week.