A Beautiful Bowl of Soup Read Online Free PDF

bell peppers in the other. Increase the heat to high under both pans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat; cover both pans and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.
    Separately purée the red and yellow bell pepper soups in a blender until smooth. Return the soups to the 2 pans and reheat to serving temperature. Season to taste.
    To serve, using ½-cup measuring cups, pour both soups into shallow wide bowls in steady streams at the same time for a yin-yang look. Garnish with a drizzle of the vinaigrette, a generous sprinkling of chives, and a large dollop of crème fraîche.
advance preparation
This soup will keep for up to 5 days in 2 separate covered containers (one for the yellow bell pepper soup, the other for the red) in the refrigerator. Whenreheating the soups, stir in water to thin as desired. (Or, for a creamy texture, stir in half-and-half or cream.) Refrigerate the vinaigrette in a covered container for up to 2 days.
variations
    ˜ Make the soup with only red or yellow bell peppers, rather than a combination.
    ˜ In a pinch for time? Substitute one 12-ounce jar roasted yellow bell peppers and one 12-ounce jar roasted red bell peppers for the freshly roasted peppers. The jars contain salt, so you’ll need to add less to the soup.
    ˜ For garnishing, substitute bottled basil-flavored olive oil for the lemon vinaigrette.
TIPS
    To roast bell peppers, preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Remove and discard the stem and cut each bell pepper in half lengthwise; remove and discard the seeds and ribs. Place the pepper halves, skin-side up, in a single layer on the prepared pan; flatten each with the palm of your hand. Lightly brush the skins with olive oil. Broil for about 15 minutes, or until the pepper halves are fork-tender and the skins are blackened and blistered. Transfer the pepper halves to a heavy-duty self-sealing plastic bag or a brown paper bag and seal; set aside until cool, for at least 20 minutes or for up to several hours. (The steam will loosen the skins.) Remove the pepper halves from the bag. Peel the peppers with your hands, using a paring knife to scrape away any peel that doesn’t come off easily; discard the skins. Or, whole bell peppers can be roasted on a grill over a hot charcoal fire or over the flame of a gas stove. Remove the stem and seeds before using. Use right away or store the peeled peppers and their juices in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
    Chives are members of the onion family. Given a choice, buy potted chives; they are fresher than cut ones. Use scissors to snip off what you need, cutting off whole blades rather than chopping the tops off all the blades. If you buy cut chives, wrap them in a damp paper towel, seal in a plastic bag, and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Add chives to a dish toward the end of the cooking time to help retain their flavor. Do not substitute dried chives for fresh; use the green part of green onions cut into julienne strips instead.

fresh pea soup with parmesan cream
    When we think of pea soup, we usually think of a slow-cooked soup made with dried split peas and flavored with ham. This version, made with frozen fresh peas, is smoother in texture and fresher in flavor, and it’s much quicker to prepare. Serve with Cheese Sticks on the side.
    Makes 5 cups (4 to 6 servings)
cream
    ½ cup sour cream
    2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (see Tips)
    ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste
soup
    2 tablespoons canola oil
    2 celery stalks, finely chopped
    ½ cup finely chopped onion
    1 leek (white part only), halved lengthwise, rinsed, and cut into 1 / 8 -inch slices
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1½ cups vegetable stock
    1 16-ounce bag frozen baby peas (see Tips)
    2 carrots, cut into 1 / 8 -inch slices
    1½ cups milk
    2 teaspoons sugar
    ˜ dash of freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste
    ˜ salt and ground white pepper to taste
    ˜ Buttered Croutons for garnish
to make the