White Bean Soup with Red Pepper Coulis

Total time: 25 minutes
     This is a pretty soup as well as delicious.... and simple.  Save the leftover Red Pepper Coulis for another use.

 Ingredients:

• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 3/4 cup (15oz, 450gr) white beans (cannellini)
• 1 1/2 cup (12oz, 360ml) chicken broth
• 1 tsp thyme
• Red Pepper Coulis:
• 1 red bell pepper no need to peel
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) chicken stock
• 1 tbs tomato paste

 Instructions:

• Drain and rinse beans. 
• Heat oil in medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Add shallot and sauté until transparent. 
• Add beans, chicken stock and thyme, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
• Remove 1/2 cup of chicken stock and purée the rest, either in blender or with wand blender. 
• Check for consistency, add as much of the removed stock as you like (or more) to get desired consistency. 
• Reheat if needed.
• Red Pepper Coulis:
• Clean pepper and cut into big pieces. 
• Sauté shallot in olive oil in a small saucepan until tender. 
• Add pepper chunks, thyme and chicken stock. 
• Cover, reduce heat and simmer until pepper is very tender, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and puree, using as much chicken stock as needed to make a thick sauce. 
• Add tomato paste and mix well.  Use 4 tbs for the soup, refrigerate the rest for another use.
• To serve:
• Ladle soup into bowls.  
• Carefully drizzle 2 tbs of Red Pepper Coulis on each serving, in a pattern or all in the center and use a warm knife to draw a pattern.  It should float on top of the soup.  Serve.