CULINARY

7 Aug
2012

Roasted Red Pepper Bisque

posted by kiki in CULINARY
Many requested the recipe for the Roasted Red Pepper Bisque Nina tweeted about a week or so ago. I'm sorry it has taken so long to post it. I started with the Roasted Red Pepper Bisque recipe from Food.com.

I always make the recipe x2 or x3 or x4. I roasted my own red peppers and I went heavy on the amount. I added some fresh thyme. I used my All-Clad Immersion Blender (love, love, love it) to puree. I did not strain the soup through a china cap as I like it a little on the rustic side. The immersion blender makes it plenty smooth for me.

I serve the bisque with seasoned croutons. Yummo! To make homemade seasoned croutons I put 1/2 melted butter, 1/2 olive oil, S&P, fresh herbs in a zipper bag. I add cubed bread (preferably an Italian or French loaf cut into good size croutons) to the zippered bag and shake. Place them on a cooling rack which has been placed on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with parmesan and bake at 375 or 400 till toasty brown. (May need to turn once.)

Everyone that tastes this bisque loves it. If you'd like to deliver it to others, use large mason jars for packaging. They are functional and pretty at the same time. They aren't expensive so you don't have to worry about getting it back from the recipient.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do.
  • Gina Haywood

    Hi Kiki, 
    This looks really good, as do all of your recipes.  I have been reading Nina for a while now and a looonnng time ago she showed a Christmas party you were having and one of the appetizers was a taco dip (I think) that was made to look like a cheesecake, had taco chips or Doritos along the side…  ring a bell?  I was wondering if you could do that recipe sometime?  Thanks,Gina

    • Victoria Sprehe

      Gina,

      This recipe is from the Southern Living Christmas Cookbook, 2006.  I have made this recipe several times.  It is always very popular and it makes a beautiful display.  I do find that it starts looking “rummaged through” fairly quickly so I usually make the whole recipe but divide into smaller springform pans.  That way you can replenish with a new one when the one on the table begins to look messy.  

      Chicken Nacho Cheesecake
      (freezer-friendly, make-ahead)

      1 2/3 cups finely crushed tortilla chips
      1/4 cup butter, melted
      3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
      4 large eggs
      1/2 cup mayonnaise
      1 (1.25) ounce package taco seasoning mix
      2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
      1 1/2 cups drained and finely chopped canned premium chunk white chicken       (I prefer use freshly cooked chicken breasts-there is something very icky about canned chicken meat.)
      1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend
      1 (8-oz) carton sour cream
      Toppings: sliced ripe olives, cooked whole kernel corn, chopped green onions, chopped fresh tomato
      Picante sauce or salsa

      Combine tortilla chips and butter; stir well.  Firmly press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan; set aside.

      Beat cream cheese at high speed with electric mixer until creamy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add mayonnaise, taco seasoning mix, and flour; beat at low speed until smooth.  Stir in chicken and cheese.   Pour batter into prepared pan.

      Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 55 minutes. (Different if you divide in smaller  pans, just be sure it is set.) Spread sour cream on top of cheesecake; bake 10 more minutes.  Cool to room temperature in pan on a wire rack.  Cover and chill for at least 8 hours.

      To serve, carefully remove sides of pan.  Arrange toppings on cheesecake.  Serve with picante sauce.   Yield: 1 (10-inch) cheesecake.

      Let me know how you like it.  Happy Cooking!

  • wendy emery

    Hi Kiki, Your bisque is so delicious and the croutons make it perfect. The recipe seems like it has several steps (at least for me) but it is so worth it! Do you get recipes from everywhere or do you have your favorites? 

    • Victoria Sprehe

      Hello, Wendy.  I do get my recipes from everywhere.  Along with my favorite cookbooks I have collected recipes from friends and family,  from culinary school and from monthly culinary magazines. I have even worked with some great recipes out of the Williams-Sonoma catalog.  (A very creative marketing tool, I think.)  I have created several binders that break them down by category.  If I feel like a lamb dish, then I can go to the binder that has what I like to call “tried and true” recipes (recipes that I have made and fine tuned) or I can go to the binder that has recipes that I have been wanting to try but haven’t had time.  I have started a cookbook in “Tastebook” but it has taken me so long to complete it that now I feel like I need to break it down into several cookbooks. If you are ever interested in something specific please let me know.  I am so glad you enjoyed the bisque.  It sounds like a lot of steps but it is really fun to make and, like you, I feel the finished product is worth the effort.  We could get together and make it sometime.  I will warn you up front…you will want to go out and get the All-Clad Immersion Blender if you don’t have it already.