Barefoot Contessa Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup

Directions

1. 1
   Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat.
2. 2
   Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. 3
   Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well.
4. 4
   Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.
5. 5
   Add the cream to the soup and process it through a food mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp that's left.
6. 6
   Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves and/or croutons.