Tomato & Buttermilk Bisque

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 leeks, green & white parts, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
4 ripe tomatoes (about 2 lbs), coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 cups poultry stock
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup lowfat buttermilk

Instructions

Serves 6. In a saucepan, warm the oil over low heat. Add leeks, carrot and celery. Saute until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and paste and cook about 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with flour and stir to mix well. Add stock, cover and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir in the basil, salt and pepper to taste. Transfer soup to food processor or blendor and puree until smooth. Run the puree through a sieve using the back of a large spoon; this makes the texture smooth. Chill the mix well before swirling in the buttermilk and serving. Note: The bisque was much better reheated to warm, with all that great tomato flavor bursting through.