This soup has a look of WOW when you bring it the table. It is comfort food extraordinaire.

Serves 4

• 6 large red peppers, seeded
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 small shallot, chopped fine
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• Fresh basil, julienned
• Puff pastry, thawed

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut peppers in half, remove seeds and place on a cookie sheet. Broil until the skins are blackened and puffed. Place in a paper bag to steam for a few minutes to cool and then remove skins.

Melt butter and saute the shallot and garlic until soft (do not burn.) Cut the cooled peppers in chunks and add to the shallot mixture. Add the broth and simmer, covered for thirty minutes. Add the lemon juice and in very small batches, carefully put into a blender. Blend until smooth and strain. This can be done ahead to this point. Do it the day before to allow the flavours to marry well in the fridge. Just before serving, pour into a saucepan, add the whipping cream and heat to steaming but not boiling. Add a few strips of the fresh basil on top.

Roll out the thawed puff pastry and cut into four squares. Run your finger that you dipped in water around the top of the soup bowl (oven proof) and lightly press pastry to cover the bowl. Bake until done.

It is super showy and will definitely exude a few oohs and ahhs.