The Best Homemade Tomato Soup

To a large pot, add the butter, olive oil, onion, and pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until things start to sizzle, and then cover and reduce to low until your onions are soft. Stir them around now and then. You don't want to brown them. If that starts to happens, add a little water to the pot, but chances are the steam and condensation will generate enough moisture to prevent them from browning. While your onions are steaming, gather up remaining ingredients. Wash and core the tomatoes. 4 clean slices through the tomatoes , close to the core (white part). Leave the seeds. When the onions are nice and soft, slice garlic, toss both into the pot. Cook 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes, salt, rice, bay leaf and herbs to the pot of onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring once in a while until the tomatoes are well cooked and break apart easily. Than add 1 cup whole milk, 1 tbsp butter, pinch of salt and pepper. Cook a few more minutes to melt the butter and until the rice is tender. Take soup off the heat, remove the bay leaf and the herbs. Puree to your liking. Pour through a sieve to get any seeds out.