In the Kitchen

Soup for the soul

Well, it’s not chicken soup but believe me once you have had this bisque you will totally agree with me...it’s good for the soul. This is a beautiful bisque, rich with flavor

that screams fall to me. You can serve it as a shooter for parties (make croutons smaller, of course), serve it as the soup course before a meal or serve it with a colorful fall salad as an entree. However you decide to serve it, it will be a hit...promise!

Roasted Red Pepper Bisque

Makes 1 Quart

Ingredients

4 ounces roasted red peppers, peeled and seeded 2 ounces yellow onions, large dice 1 ounce celery, large dice 1 ounce leeks, sliced and rinsed thoroughly ½ Tablespoon garlic, chopped 1 1/2 Tablespoons tomato paste 3 cups chicken stock 1 Tablespoon thyme 1/2 cup heavy cream ½ Tablespoon clarified butter ½ ounce chevre cheese 1/8 lb. roux salt and white or black pepper one TINY pinch of cayenne (bumps the flavor just a tad)

VICTORIA SPREHE

mato paste. Cook briefly then add roux and cook until roux is softened and hot. Add chicken stock and mix well to avoid lumps. Continue to stir until soup comes to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let simmer until roasted red peppers begin to break down. Add heavy cream and crumbled chevre cheese and bring to a boil again. Place soup in a food processor and puree until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper and cayenne, if you choose. Strain soup through a china cap.

Drizzle a little heavy cream on the top, sprinkle with extra thyme or parsley and place two or three Garlic Parmesan Croutons in the middle of the bowl before serving.

Directions

In a large pot, heat clarified butter and sweat celery, onion, leeks, and garlic until tender. Add roasted red peppers and toNote: As a time saver you can use canned roasted red peppers but believe me canned peppers do not give you the same intense flavor that you get when you roast your own. I always encourage cooks to tweak the flavor to their liking. Sometimes I add a bit

more chevre for a little tangier flavor, sometimes I add a bit more tomato paste or a bit more cream just to shake it up. Perhaps you might like a little more cayenne. There is no right or wrong only what makes your taste buds happy.

How to Roast Red Peppers - Easy Peasy

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut peppers in half lengthwise. Remove stem and seeds and lay the peppers, skin side up, on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Put into the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the skin starts to darken and blister. Remove from the oven and immediately place the peppers in a zippered bag or a bowl covered with saran and allow to completely cool. Once cooled, remove the skins from the peppers. Viola!

How to Make a Roux

A roux is simply a mixture of flour and fat that is used to thicken sauces and/or soups. Depending on the dish and what flavor you are trying to achieve you can make a white, blonde or brown roux.

You will need equal parts butter (I prefer clarified butter.) and flour (I prefer to weigh my flour and butter vs. measuring.) The amount of each ingredient depends on the amount of roux the recipe calls for. Melt the butter and slowly whisk in the flour, cooking for at least 1 minute to eliminate the taste of the flour.

CHRIS BOYD, WATER DISTRICT GM, ACCEPTS AWARD AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Garlic Parmesan Croutons

Makes enough for 4 people

Ingredients

8 ¾” slices sourdough bread ½ stick of butter ¼ cup olive oil 2 T garlic powder 2T grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the bread slices into large cubes. Melt butter and mix in olive oil, garlic powder and parmesan. Add butter mixture and bread cubes to a zipper bag. Shake until coated. Place a rack on a cookie sheet and spread croutons on top of the rack. Bake until golden brown. Stir occasionally while baking.

“Soup is the song of the hearth... and the home.”

- LOUIS PULLIG DE GOUY