Fresh Tomato Soup with Smoked Gouda

To go with the Goat Cheese Panini from last week here is a light and easy summer soup that has some advantages over your plain old tomato soup--summer savory and smoked Gouda.

This soup goes together perfectly with the sandwiches and both are so easy you can have an elegant warm weather meal in just half an hour.

2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, sliced
2 28-ounce cans Italian plumb tomatoes, with juices
1 ½ cups canned chicken broth
½ cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon dried summer savory
½ teaspoon celery seed
¾ cup grated Gouda cheese
chopped fresh parsley
additional Gouda cheese, grated

Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices and chicken broth. Break up tomatoes with spoon. Simmer 30 minutes. Add cream, savory and celery see and bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir grated cheese into soup and garnish with parsley and additional grated cheese if desired.

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