| 1 | * bouquet garni - in a piece of cheesecloth, tie the following: 3 to 4 sprigs of parsley, 1 bay leaf, ?celery stalk with leaves, ?t dry thyme and 1 t fresh marjoram. |
| 2 | Leave the string long enough to hang the garni in the pot and tie the string to the pot handle for easy removal. |
| 3 | Drop the tomatoes into boiling water for 1 minute. |
| 4 | Drain and peel. |
| 5 | Chop coarsely and reserve. |
| 6 | In a large saucepan, heat 1 t of butter and oil. |
| 7 | Add the onion and cook over low heat until lightly browned. |
| 8 | Add the remaining butter. |
| 9 | When the butter is melted, add the flour and cook until it is golden brown. |
| 10 | Be careful not to burn it! add the chopped tomatoes stirring constantly. |
| 11 | Then add the boiling water, bouquet garni, salt and pepper. |
| 12 | Cover and simmer the soup for 35 minutes. |
| 13 | Remove the soup from the heat. |
| 14 | Remove the bouquet. |
| 15 | Cool the soup and puree it in the blender. |
| 16 | If it seems too thick, thin it out with a little chicken stock or water. |
| 17 | Serve the soup in individual bowls, each topped with 1 t sour cream and a sprinkling of dill. |
| 18 | Notes: for a hearty soup, omit the sour cream and substitute cooked rice |
