TOMATO SOUP INFUSED WITH LEMON GRASS AND GHOST CHILL PRONOUNCED TO MA TOE

Well, tonight it was 2 hours before work so I opened the pantry door and refrigerator and created something from what was in stock at the Shavemster's Studio ... IT IS A TAKE OFF FROM THE STORY OF STONE SOUP. Where these traveling pheasants had a pot water and a stone and the community they were in that night brought ingredients to make this soup from nothing.

Ingredients

1 medium white or yellow onion 2 carrots peeled and chopped 2 stalks of celery 2 stalks of Lemon Grass tipped and peeled 4 cloves of garlic 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) grass fed butter 4 table spoons of grass fed butter 1 pound of min San Mansano tomatoes diced 1 tube of good quality tomato paste One qt of Chicken stock

1 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon of turmeric 1/2 tsp of Ghost Chili pepper flakes Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup sherry 1/2 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley Directions

To begin, dice the onion. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Throw in the onion, carrot, celery, and lemon grass and cook until translucent.

add garlic and cook 1 min longer

Now dump in the diced tomatoes and 3/4 of the tube of tomato paste and stir to combine.

Next - and this is important - in order to combat the acidity of the tomatoes add 1 tablespoons of sugar.

Next, add chicken stock to the pot.

Then add contents of the pan to a blender and puree being careful of the lid as it is very hot ... I put a towel over the top and pulse it till it seems blended and no danger of explosion

Now you can add lots of freshly ground black pepper, and ghost chili flakes. Stir to combine, then heat almost to a boil. Then turn off the heat.

Add the sherry if desired. Stir in the cream. Add the basil and parsley and stir.

This soup is best when served warm!

Recipe courtesy of The Shavemster