Tomato Basil Soup (La Madeline)

Ingredients
4 cups canned whole tomatoes, crushed
4 cups tomato juice
12-14 basil leaves, washed fresh
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 lb sweet unsalted butter
salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
lemon juice (optional)

Directions
Combine:
4 cups Tomatoes and 4 cups juice/and or stock in saucepan.
Simmer 30 minutes.

Puree:
Tomatoes with 14 basil leaves, in small batches, in blender, food processor or hand-held food blenders, right in the cooking pan. Return to saucepan

Add:
1 cup cream
1/4 Lb.butter
Stir over low heat until butter and cream are incorporated

Garnish with:
basil leaves

Serve with your favorite bread.

Recipe divides.

Excerpted from an article by Beverly Bundy of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram around May 20. 1994.