ROASTED RED PEPPER SOUP - a new, easy favorite

      After I made this Roasted Red Pepper Soup I started thinking how wonderful it would be as the first course to a spring dinner, part of a luncheon outdoors on the patio, or because of its extremely easy preparation, a simple meal after an exhausting day working to ready the vegetable garden for planting.

      Adding the cream to this soup, seasoned and whipped, gives it a frothy texture that slowly melts into the puréed tomatoes and roasted peppers.  I added croutons made from the baguettes I bake weekly.  As stingy as I can be with my very good olive oils, I think it's worth it to sauté the bread cubes (in a hot pan) with the best oil you've got.  When browned, sprinkle with a good dose of kosher salt... very tasty.

                           Roasted Red Pepper Soup
                                                   a recipe by Marilyn Harris

• 3 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
• 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes (I used Italian San Marzano Plum Tomatoes)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• chopped parsley
• Croutons sautéed in olive oil and salted, optional
1.  Purée the peppers and tomatoes in a blender.
2.  Gently heat the garlic in the olive oil, taking care not to let it brown.
3.  Stir in the purée and chicken stock and bring to a boil.
4.  Whip the cream with the salt and hot pepper sauce.
5.  Top each serving of hot soup with the whipped cream and sprinkle with parsley.  Add several croutons, if desired.