Tomato soup with cheese croutons

Ingredients:

Soup

• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 3 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 1 clove of garlic, grated on a coarse grater
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 cans of 800g canned whole tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 0.5 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• Special equipment: immersion blender

Croutons

• Half a baguette, cut into slices
• Olive oil
• 0.5 tbsp. grated parmesan

Preparation:

1. Soup:
   
   In a large saucepan, heat the butter and vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, garlic, and onion, stir, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for another 2–3 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, broth, parsley, and 1 cup of water and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, preserving some of the texture of the tomatoes. Add the cream, basil, a little salt and pepper, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
3. Croutons:
   
   Lightly drizzle the baguette slices with olive oil. Place small mounds of Parmesan cheese in a nonstick skillet. Place a round baguette on top of each mound. Increase the heat to medium. Press down with a spatula until the cheese melts and adheres to the bread. Flip the bread over to toast the other side.
4. Serve the soup garnished with 1-2 croutons.