Creamy Tomato Soup with Fresh Tomatoes Recipe

• 2-1/2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 3 tsp chopped garlic (2-3 cloves)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 large tomatoes - chopped
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)

1. Melt butter in stock pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft (3-5 minutes). Add garlic and oregano and saute, stirring constantly, until garlic becomes fragrant (about 1 minute).
2. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir until it is fully combined and no lumps of flour are visible. Add sugar, bay leaf, tomatoes, and chicken broth and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and allow soup to simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Scoop soup into a food processor or blender (in about 4 batches) to remove the lumps. Pour the soup through a fine, mesh strainer to ensure that there are no lumps. Once all of the soup has been pureed and run through the strainer, place back into the pot and add in the cream.
4. Slowly warm the soup over low heat, stirring frequently, and serve once fully warmed.