Two-Tomato Soup

3 oz dried tomatoes (not oiled packed) 85 g
1 tbsp olive oil 15 mL
1/2 cup onion, chopped 125 mL
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper 1 mL
2-1/2 lb ripe fresh tomatoes, chopped 1.25 kg
4 cups water 1 L
1 tsp salt 5 mL
1 cup whipping cream 250 mL

Place the dried tomatoes in a small mixing bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover. Soak for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse. Coarsely chop rehydrated tomatoes.

In a Dutch oven heat the oil. Cook and stir onion, rehydrated tomatoes, and pepper in hot oil for 5 minutes.

Reserve 3/4 cup/175 mL chopped fresh tomatoes; set aside. Add remaining fresh tomatoes to rehydrated tomato mixture. Cook, covered, over low heat for 20 minutes or until tomatoes are soft. Add water and salt. Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 40 minutes more, stirring often.

Transfer 1/4 of mixture at a time to a blender container. Carefully blend until smooth. Return mixture to Dutch oven. Heat to simmering. Stir in cream. Return just to simmering. Remove from heat.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Spoon some of the reserved fresh chopped tomatoes into each bowl.
Chef's Note

For best results, prepare this soup with farm-fresh tomatoes.