Bell Pepper Bisque
Submitted by ibartlett
Red bell pepper bisque thickened with overcooked rice instead of flour, pureed silky smooth with cream, milk, and a touch of cayenne. A make-ahead soup with vibrant color.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
60 minREADY
140 minThis soup gets its body from an old restaurant trick: overcooking rice until it’s completely mushy, then blending it into the base. The starchy rice breaks down into a silky thickener that gives you bisque texture without any flour or roux. No gritty mouthfeel, no pasty taste.
Four red bell peppers are the star here. They’re boiled just until tender but still bright red, then drained quickly to preserve that vivid color. Overcooking them turns the bisque a dull, brownish red, so watch the clock on that step.
Everything gets pureed and strained into a clean pot, then simmered with milk, chicken stock, and heavy cream. Cayenne, paprika, and white pepper add warmth without competing with the sweet pepper flavor. The bisque improves if you let it sit for an hour before reheating, and it’s even better made a day ahead.
Kitchen Tips
- Cook the rice until it’s falling apart and nearly dry. You want it mushy enough to disappear completely when pureed. Undercooked rice leaves a grainy texture.
- Drain the peppers as soon as they’re tender. Leaving them in the water washes out flavor and dulls the color.
- Strain the puree through a fine mesh sieve for a truly smooth bisque. Bits of pepper skin slip through the blender and can make the texture rough.
- Reheat gently over low heat. Hard boiling after adding the cream can cause it to break.
Variations
- Use roasted bell peppers instead of boiled for a deeper, smokier flavor.
- Swap the cream for coconut milk for a dairy-free version with a subtle tropical note.
- Garnish with a swirl of basil oil or a dollop of sour cream and toasted croutons.
Ingredients
Directions
Place the rice in a small saucepan with 2 cups of water.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered until the rice is overcooked and mushy and the water has almost boiled away, about 40 minutes.
In a medium saucepan, combine the red peppers, onion and 2 cups of water.
Boil over moderate heat until the peppers are tender but still bright red, about 10 minutes.
Drain at once.
Put the rice, red peppers, onion and 1 cup of the chicken stock into a blender or food processor.
Purée until smooth.
Strain the purée into a medium saucepan, add the milk and the remaining 1 cup of chicken stock.
Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
Stir in the cream, cayenne, paprika and white pepper.
Season with salt to taste.
Cover the bisque and set aside for 1 hour to blend the favors.
Reheat over low heat before serving.
NOTE: May be made day ahead of time.
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