Red Bell Pepper Soup with Cilantro Cream

This soup made a fantastic first course for this years Christmas Dinner. Our family has a "Mystery Soup" tradition in which only the cook who made the soup knows what the main ingredient is, no one is allowed to taste until everyone is served, and the winner is the first person to name the star ingredient. This years winner was Bruce, who I observed closing his eyes to really focus on this subtle but very present flavor. The flavor of this soup is fantastic and I will return to this many times for a nice cold weather warm up. This recipe serves 6.

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
2 cups chopped Leeks, the white parts only
3 large red bell peppers, chopped 
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Cilantro Cream (recipe at the bottom)
 
Process

1. Prep your vegetables. 
2. Melt the butter with the oil in a large sauce pan. 
3. Add the leeks and bell peppers.
4. Reduce the heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, around 20 minutes. 
5. Add the chicken broth and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes more. 
6. Puree the mixture, in a food processor or with an immersion blender, until smooth. 
7. Add the half and half and bring to a simmer. 
8. Season with salt and pepper. 
9. When served, garnish with the cilantro cream. 

Cilantro Cream
Ingredients:
1/2 large bunch cilantro
1 tablespoon crystalized ginger
1/4 cup sour cream.

Process:

1. Remove the cilantro leaves from the stems. 
2. Place ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. 
3. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.