Beauty In A Glass

In the heat of summer it’s always nice to have something so fast, so beautiful, and so delicious you can serve it to company, have it for a brunch, or the start of a romantic dinner. I’m a huge fan of cold soups, and this one does not disappoint. I made this as an appetizer last weekend and it received accolades! I used my VitaMix which gave it a particular silkiness, but you could also use a food processor or stick blender. Just make sure that it’s mixed completely until it’s smooth. You probably have the ingredients in your pantry (except maybe the cooked shrimp).

Although I used cannellini beans, you could also use any white bean of your choice. The roasted peppers however give it its beautiful color. I also used sherry vinegar, but you could also use wine vinegar. I think the cold shrimp give it a particular restaurant look, and you can control the thickness by the amount of stock you use. Nobody seemed to mind using a spoon, and I prefer my pureed soups a little thick.

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 15 ounce cans cannellini beans, strained and rinsed

2. 4 jarred roasted red peppers, patted dry and diced

3. 1 clove garlic, chopped

4. 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

5. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6. 2 teaspoon sherry vinegar

7. 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

8. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

9. 1/2-1 cup vegetable stock, homemade if you have it

10. 1/2 pound cold cooked shrimp (I use two shrimp per serving)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a VitaMix or food processor, place the beans, red peppers, garlic, thyme leaves, olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt and pepper and process until mixed completely. Mixture with be thick.

2. While your machine is running, slowly pour 1/2 cup vegetable stock into your blender or processor. Scape down the sides and check for thickness. Continue to add 1/4 cup stock at a time until the soup has the thickness you enjoy. Process for 2-3 minutes until completely mixed and silky. Taste and add additional salt or vinegar if needed.

3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Pour into decorative glasses. Garnish with chopped chives and cold shrimp.

Serves 4-6

“Worries go down better with a cold soup on a hot day.”

#coldshrimp #chives #cannellinibeans #roastedredpeppers #vegetablestock