This week I cheated on an old flame: my immersion blender. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but it felt so good. I had already abandoned my blender, shoved it into a bag, and left it to dust in a dark storage area in Amsterdam with no promise of return. And now I had two-timed it with a younger model. It was so cruel, and I knew I would be paying for it later.

But soup had to be made. Tomato soup, in fact, with grilled fontina and caramelized onion sandwiches for dunking. You wouldn’t of passed it up either, so don’t judge.

Oh, I love pureeing. It covers up all manner of sins. The precision of one’s chopping capability is no longer a factor once blended into one smooth concoction. No need to sweat it out trying to make a brunoise out of your celery. That time can be better spent getting a pedicure. Might I suggest wrangling up a ‘pureeing machine’ yourself. I prefer an immersion blender: cheap, reliable and easy to clean; but a blender or food processor will do the job just fine.

Some of you may be familiar with the French cafe La Madeleine and their infamously addictive tomato basil soup. I have news for you. No specific plan was made for this to happen, but this soup is quite close to the aforementioned brew believe it or not. Add perhaps a 1/2 c of cream to the below recipe and you’ll want to shoot this soup into your veins.

Tomato Soup Recipe

1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 small or 1 large celery stalk, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 (28)oz cans whole peeled plum tomatoes
1 c chicken sock
1/4 c packed fresh basil*
1/3 c Greek yogurt
salt and pepper

Combine butter and evoo in soup pot on medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Add celery and carrot. Cook until slightly softened, about 5m. Add garlic and cook 1m. Add tomatoes, stock, basil and season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil and cook 5m. Add yogurt. Puree!!! Adjust seasoning and eat. Good to the last drop.

*Can’t find basil? Get the whole peeled tomatoes with basil. Perfectly satisfactory substitute.