Cream of Brie and Red Pepper Soup

 Two flavorful soups are swirled in each bowl, creating a beautiful pattern. This unique recipe comes from Orchids at the Palm Court in the Omni Netherland Plaza hotel

Brie Soup:

2 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup minced leeks (white part only)
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
1 quart of simmering unnsalted chicken stock
20 ounces of Brie cheese, rind discarded, cut into pieces.
1/4 cup whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Red Pepper Soup

1 pound of red bell peppers, cored and seeded

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons of Hungarian paprika

1 Tablespoon all purpose flour

1 1/4 cup unsalted chicken stock

1 cup whipping cream

sour cream

snipped fresh chives

Directions:

For Brie Soup: Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leeks and shallots and cook until translucent, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Whisk in simmering stock. Simmer until reduced to 2 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes.  Add Brie and stir until melted. Mix in cream, salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover soup tightly and refrigerate.)

For Pepper Soup: Bring water to boil in base of steamer. Place peppers on steamer rack. Cover and cook until skin pulls away easily, about 25 minutes. Peel peppers, Chop finely.

Melt butter in another heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add peppers and stir 1 minutes. Add paprika and flour and stir 2 miutes. Cover and cook until peppers are tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Mix in stock and cream. Simmer until soup is reduced to 3 cups, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Puree soup in processor. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover soup tightly and refrigerate.)

Reheat both soups in separate heavy sauccepans over low heat, stirring frequently. Spoon 1/2 cup Brie soup into ladle. Spoon 1/2 cup pepper soup into another ladle. Holding ladles next to each other, pour both soups into heated bowl at same time. Swirl two soups together slightly with toothpick. Repeat.

Top each bowl of soup with a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle with chives and serve.