Finely chop the onions, carrot, and celery.

Heat the butter and oil together in a large flameproof pan

When the fat is hot, add the vegetables and fry until they are soft - about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, quarter the tomatoes, and cut out the hard green/white part where the vine attaches.

Add the tomatoes to the vegetables, and continue stirring to help the tomatoes break down.

If tomatoes are not in season, you can add a little tomato paste to improve the flavour.

Once the tomatoes are nice and soft, add the vegetable stock and a couple of bay leaves.

Cover the pan, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf, and then use an immersion blender to liquify the vegetables.

You could also use a food processor or regular blender to do this.

This recipe makes quite a thick soup. If you like your soup thinner, you could add a little more vegetable stock at this stage.

Add the cream to the soup and mix well to combine, then season with plenty of salt and a little black pepper.

If you’re feeling fancy, serve with a swirl of cream and olive oil, and garnish with basil.