Both of my parents are excellent cooks. Unfortunately, that gene seemed to skipped right on past me. It makes me anxious even thinking about attempting a recipe. I can't "improvise" when Nigela tells me to, and I can't "experiment with spices" like Jamie can. It just doesn't come naturally for me. BUT. A girl's gotta learn some basics. So here is my new series, Chloe in the Kitchen?. With the help of the parental units, I will attempt some simple recipes and share the results. Wish me luck!
The first recipe I am tackling is Creamy Red Pepper Soup (you can find the original recipe here). With this week's fall-like weather, I was craving something warm and comforting. Red Bell Peppers are currently in season here in Ontario, so it was perfect timing. This particular recipe was EASY. Seriously. It only has a handful of ingredients and took about 45/50 minutes total. I strayed from the recipe twice, using half and half cream instead of heavy cream (because that's what was in the fridge), and opting not to strain the soup (as I prefer a thicker consistency). A sour cream dollop and some black pepper completed the dish.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 red bell peppers, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 24 fluid ounces chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Place the red bell pepper, onion and garlic in the saucepan and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until tender.
- Pour in the chicken broth, stirring well, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.
- Run the soup through a strainer and return the liquid to the saucepan over medium low heat. Stir in the heavy cream and the ground black pepper and allow to heat through, about 5 to 10 minutes.
