Chilled Red and Yellow Pepper Soup

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Recipe by: Chef John V.
Note: This is a smooth pureed soup that is garnished with a squiggle of saffron cream, little
profiteroles and fresh basil. The reddish color of the soup, yellow of the saffron cream,
green of the basil and puffy look of the profiteroles make this an attractive looking soup.
Try serving it in a blue bowl for a dramatic effect.
Serving size: 4
Preparation time: about 1 hour

Amount/Measure/Ingredient:

2 red peppers
1 yellow pepper
1 large onion
1 stalk celery
1 leek
1 medium carrot
3 cloves garlic -- minced
salt and white pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
2 quarts chicken stock
8 tablespoons roux (equal parts melted butter and flour cooked for 5; minutes over a low flame) For the Saffron Cream:
1 cup sour cream
1 pinch crushed saffron

For the Profiteroles:
4 ounce water
2 ounce unsalted butter
3 ounce flour
1 pinch salt
2 large eggs

Preparation:

Chop or dice all the vegetables into -inch pieces. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat; add all the vegetables and saute until tender (about 15 minutes). Add the chicken stock and cook for 15 minutes. Add the roux, stirring with a wire whisk to incorporate until smooth. Season with salt and white pepper, and cook another 15 minutes. Remove from heat and puree in a food processor. Strain and chill.

To make the saffron sour cream, mix together the sour cream and crushed saffron. Let steep, preferably overnight, to develop flavor. To make the profiteroles, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan boil the water, butter, and salt. Add the flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a solid mass that doesn't cling to the sides of the pan (about a minute). Remove to a mixer and add the eggs one at a time, blending well. Put the mixture in a pastry bag (or use a small spoon) and drop pea-size portions of the dough onto a greased baking sheet. Brush profiteroles with beaten egg and bake at 425 F 12-15 minutes, or until golden.

To serve soup with garnishes. pour it into bowls. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and several profiteroles. To make the squiggle of saffron cream, use a plastic mustard bottle with a squeeze nozzle. of course, the soup can be served without garnishes, too.