Smoky Tomato Soup

I confess, I've been bad.  "Dave dona" as my Scottish Gaelic tutor would say. I've been cooking and trying new things but not telling you about it.  I was amazed to see that I had not posted since last October.

One of the things I've made recently was this scrumptious smokey tomato soup.

BTW, I buy high-quality applewood smoked bacon at a local specialty shop.  I buy a pound at a time then create individual packages of two slices each and freeze them.

Smoky Tomato Soup

4 strips of applewood-smoked bacon
1 Sweet Onion, diced
1 Tblsp flour
1 Tblsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teasp. smoked paprika
1 28oz can whole tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tblsp heavy cream
Pepper
Olive or for the pan
Parsley for garnish

Cur several pieces of bacon (1 per serving) about 1-1/2 inches long.  Cut the remaining bacon crosswise into 1/4-inch wide strips. Put the oil on a saucepan over medium heat.  When the oil is hot add the bacon and cook until it is done.  Remove the bacon from the pan and let it drain on paper towels.  Set aside the large pieces.

Add the onions to the saucepan and cook until translucent and starting to brown. Stir in the flour, thyme, and paprika, and cook for one minute. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes.

Remove the soup from the saucepan and puree it in a blender. Return it to the saucepan, add the cream and small bacon pieces. Bring to a boil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls, placing a large bacon piece and a little parsley on top of the soup.