Add the can of tomatoes. If chunky, take an emulsifier and blend just until chopped up. The tomatoes can be smashed as you cook and they will break up as you go.
Add all the spices, sprigs of herbs, and vinegar to the pot over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring as you cook so as not to burn. If it is too high just turn it down.
Add the Sherry. This makes the soup in my opinion.
Add broth. This is where you get to determine the thickness of your soup. Add more if you like a liquid soup or less if you want it thicker.
Add butter. This is optional, however it also adds a hearty flavor. So again, it is up to you and your palate.
Salt and pepper to taste
Make sure to remove the sprigs and Bay leaf before serving.
Notes
Tomatoes: This is a quick and easy recipe using Cento All Purpose Crushed Tomatoes. A very good tasting tomato for this soup and on the ingredients panel it is stated as vine ripened crushed tomatoes. I actually did not have to use an emulsifier, but depending on what you use, you may want to. This is also my basic recipe when I use my own canned tomatoes. Broth:You can substitute Vegetable broth for Chicken or Beef broth. The more broth added the thinner the soup. Pepper:I love using white fresh ground pepper in this recipe. It brings a nice round taste to it.Serving Size:Depending on how you serve your bowls this can serve up to 6 people, or even a couple more. I call those "polite" servings. It will also depend on the broth added. Sherry:Be my guest and add more or less of the ingredients. However, I am of very firm thinking that a good Sherry makes this soup taste great for everyone. Remember, the alcohol burns off in cooking so just the flavor is left to enjoy. Add a dollop of sour cream on top and take it further with the addition of carrots and onion. This tomato base soup is great to play on, and I have seen bacon play its way into it often. Pair this with a Beer Bread melted cheese sandwich! The Beer Bread recipe is on my blog!Enjoy.