Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1         tablespoon  virgin olive oil
  1                cup  onion -- coarsely chopped
  2             cloves  garlic -- peeled
  2             sprigs  fresh thyme
  1              sprig  fresh oregano
  2             pounds  ripe tomatoes -- 2-inch pieces
  2 1/2    tablespoons  tomato paste
  2          teaspoons  sugar
  1 1/2      teaspoons  salt
     1/2      teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
  1 1/4           cups  water
  2        tablespoons  unsalted butter
  4        tablespoons  basil oil

Preparation:

Heat the olive oil in a sturdy, non-reactive saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and oregano, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Then add the tomato pieces, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper and water. Mix well, bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and boil gently for 15 minutes. Push the tomato mixture through a food mill fitted with a fine screen. (The soup can be made to this point up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated.) At serving time, heat the soup, and add the butter a little at a time, stirring it in gently until incorporated. Then, if a smoother, creamier-textured soup is desired, emulsify the mixture with a handheld immersion blender for 15 to 20 seconds. Divide the soup among four soup plates, and drizzle about 1 tablespoon of Basil Oil over the top of each serving (do not stir it in) to decorate as well as flavor the soup. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information:

159 Calories (kcal); 10g Total Fat; (51% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 16mg Cholesterol; 903mg Sodium