This recipe came from Chef Alan Bickel who I have interviewed in my Novice to Pro section and who wrote the wonderful article about life in a professional kitchen called The ‘Rest’ of the Kitchen.

Don’t be alarmed by the number of ingredients for this recipe. You are basically making the same puree twice, one with red peppers and one with yellow peppers with a few minor changes.

It looks like a lot of work and yes it’s more difficult than making a simple chicken noodle soup but not only is it going to look good, it’s going to taste great.

Questions & Answers:

I asked Alan some questions about his recipe and here’s what he told me:

When asked why he calls this dish a puree rather than a soup, he replied, “ I prefer the term puree as opposed to soup because it emphasis what the dish actually is.  Many times, people have pre-conceived notions of what ’soup’ is, and something as simple as calling a soup a ‘puree’ or a pot roast a ‘roast loin’ can mean the difference between a great menu item and just another waste of space.  Of course, it is in all reality, just soup, but it’s not Campbell’s, or cream of mushroom, so I feel it merits distinction. 

When asked if these separate puree’s could stand up on their own, Alan said, “Absolutely, each of half of the dish could stand up on it’s own as a soup, (or hey, thicken it up a little, and you’ve got a stellar sauce)

Again, here it’s all a matter of preference.  Personally, I Love the way the colors contrast each other, and the way that their corresponding flavor profiles compliment and offset each other.” 

When asked about the various types of tomatoes and the ones he prefers for this recipe, he said, “I prefer summertime Heirlooms to grocery store beefsteak tomatoes, because of the flavor (they’re much sweeter, and a bit firmer, as well)  If you’ve got access to garden grown, by all means, use ‘em up.  I really don’t like to use roma or cherry tomatoes, mostly due to their small size.

Roasted Red and Yellow Pepper Puree

Ingredients

4 oz. butter
3 1/2 oz. shallot, diced
1 oz. garlic, minced
3 oz. flour
3 roasted red pepper
12 oz. chicken stock, well flavored
8 oz. tomato concasse*
12 oz. heavy cream
8 oz. tomato juice
1-teaspoon cumin
1-tablespoon paprika
1 ½ oz. kosher Salt
1 oz. white pepper
2 oz. Sriracha hot sauce (you can pick this up at most gourmet shops these days.)

*tomato concasse is fresh tomato peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped up. 8 oz comes from 1 medium sized tomato.
4 oz. butter
2 oz. shallot, diced
1 oz. garlic
1.5 oz. flour
2 large roasted yellow peppers
6 oz. steamed corn kernels
24 oz. chicken stock, well flavored
6 oz. heavy cream
2.5 oz. lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1-teaspoon saffron
1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
1-teaspoon white Pepper
1-tablespoon kosher salt

1. In a suitable sized saucepot, working with the first listing of ingredients, melt the butter and sauté the shallots and garlic.  Once softened, add the flour and stir to make a blonde roux.
2. Add the roasted red peppers, stock, concasse and tomato juice, bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and add the cream, spices, and sriracha. 
3. Run the entire mixture through a food processor until thoroughly pureed.  Bring to a simmer and adjust seasonings as necessary. 
4.  In a fresh saucepot, working with the second listing of ingredients, melt the butter, and sauté the shallots and garlic. Add the flour and stir to make a blonde roux.
5.  Add the yellow pepper, corn, and stock.  Bring to a boil, and reduce heat and add cream.
6.  Add saffron, coriander, salt, white pepper, and lemon juice.  Bring to a simmer.
7.  Run this mixture through the food processor until finely pureed.  Bring back to a simmer and reduce to match consistency of the red pepper half. 
8.  It is vital that the consistency of the two soups be the same at this point.  Portion by placing a 4 oz. Ladle of each soup into a suitable bowl at the same time, from opposite sides.     

  Makes 10 Serving