American Café Summer Vegetable Soup

6 Servings

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1 large red sweet pepper, coarsely chopped
2 small zucchini, coarsely chopped
2 small yellow squash, coarsely chopped
1 cup canned plum tomatoes with juice
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 ½ teaspoons salt
a sprinkle of thyme
¾ teaspoon black pepper
½ pound (1/2 basket) cherry tomatoes
4 large fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 ½ cups tomato juice

What to do?

In a pan large enough for all the ingredients, heat the olive oil until very hot. Add all ingredients except for the cherry tomatoes, basil, vinegar, and tomato juice. Stir and cook over medium heat for 6 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes and basil, cook 10 minutes more. Add vinegar and tomato juice. Cool for a few minutes and puree soup in batches in a blender. Chill well and serve cold garnished with a thin lemon slice.