1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup flour
3 cups homemade chicken stock
4 cups tomato sauce
2 cups tomato juice
14 1/2-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup thinly sliced (julienned) fresh basil
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces fresh lump crab meat, cleaned
Heat olive oil in heavy stockpot, and saute onion with the garlic until translucent. Reduce heat and add the flour to make a roux. Continue to cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Turn the heat up to medium and add 1 1/2 cups of the chicken stock, whisking constantly. Add the remaining stock and cook until the mixture begins to boil and thicken. Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes to cook out the starchy taste. Add the tomato sauce, tomato juice, chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup of the sliced basil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Skim off any foam that may collect on top. Add the heavy cream. Bring back to a simmer. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
When ready to serve, divide the soup into 8 warmed bowls. Garnish by sprinkling the crab meat evenly into each bowl and top with remaining sliced basil. Serve immediately.
Serves 8.
Sunday, April 15, 2001
