Recipes Tomato Soup with Basil Oil Be the first to rate & review! There's no better moment to make tomato soup than when tomatoes are perfectly ripe and plentiful. Even in the summer, Jacques Pépin likes this creamless soup best when it's served hot, with a drizzle of Basil Oil on top. It's also excellent served chilled and lean, without the butter enrichment. To transform the soup into a fresh tomato sauce, reduce the water that's added in the beginning to 1/2 cup. Cold Soup Recipes By Jacques Pépin Jacques Pépin Instagram Jacques Pépin is a legendary French chef and longtime contributor to Food & Wine. Known for his work at New York City's Le Pavillon and his own restaurant La Potagerie, Pépin was also a culinary leader at Howard Johnson's, the World Trade Center, and the French Culinary Institute. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 30, 2016 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Yield: 6 cups Ingredients 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup) 2 large garlic cloves, peeled 2 sprigs of thyme 1 sprig of oregano 2 pounds of ripe tomatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks (5 cups) 2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 teaspoon sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 tablespoons Basil Oil Directions Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, thyme and oregano and cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper and 1 1/4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Pass the soup through the fine disk of a food mill. Rewarm the soup. Add the butter a little at a time, stirring between additions. Pour the soup into 4 soup plates or bowls and drizzle 1 tablespoon of the Basil Oil over each serving. Make Ahead The tomato soup can be prepared through Step 1 and refrigerated overnight. Suggested Pairing Tangy tomato pairs will with a chilled glass of a very dry Fino Sherry. Rate it Print