Creamy tomato soup

Ingredients:

• 1.8 kg ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large)
• 3 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1.5 cups chopped red onion (2 pcs.)
• 2 carrots, unpeeled, chopped
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 1.5 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, plus extra leaves cut into ribbons, for serving
• 3 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Croutons, for serving

Preparation:

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and carrot and sauté for about 10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken broth, salt, and black pepper, and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.
2. Add the cream to the soup and pass it through a vegetable mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp. Reheat the soup over low heat and serve, sprinkled with fresh basil and/or croutons.