MANGE TA SOUPE! (Eat your soup!) Perhaps the French secret for a slim figure and healthy lifestyle, soup has a cleansing effect for your body. After the holidays, it’s time to reenergize for spring by eating the freshest vegetables. The season provides a natural cycle for a balanced diet.

This week “le Careme” or Lent begins.  After your Fat Tuesday party, start preparing my delicious soups and you’ll feel “ rajeuni” or young again!

 

ROASTED YELLOW PEPPER SOUP WITH MASCARPONE CHEESE

 

Active time: 45 min; cooking time: 1 hour

 

Serving: 4

 

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzle

4 Yellow bell peppers

1 sweet onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 pink potatoes

3 cups of vegetable bouillon

4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

6 tbsp mascarpone cheese

Piment d’Espelette

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Heat the broiler. Place the peppers in a shallow baking dish and put them under the broiler over high heat and turn them regularly until the skins darken all around (20-30 min). Put them into a plastic bag and close. Let the peppers rest for about 20 minutes.

Peel the skin off the peppers, discard the seeds and stems and chop them.

Melt 2 tbsp of olive oil in a deep saucepan, add the sweet onion and garlic and cook until golden brown. Add the peppers, cook for 2 minutes and add the vegetable bouillon, the pink potatoes, 2 sprigs of rosemary, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove the rosemary, add 2 tbsp of mascarpone and pureed the soup with an immersion blender until smooth consistency. Add 2 pinch of piment d’Espelette , salt and pepper if needed.

Serve in soup bowl, sprinkle with piment d’Espelette, add 1 tbsp of mascarpone cheese per serving, drizzle some olive oil and place some fresh rosemary on top of the mascarpone cheese.

This soup can be eaten hot or cold. If you prefer it cold, refrigerate at least 5 or 6 hours.

Bon Appetit!

 

Note : Piment d’Espelette can be found in specialty stores. It’s a red pepper from the southwest region of France.