Tony serves this versatile recipe not only as a soup but also as a sauce for pasta, fish, or chicken. It is spicy, rich, and colorful. For those preferring a milder version, he recommends reducing the amount of jalapeno pepper to taste. This recipe makes a gallon which serves 8 large bowls or 16 cups of soup.
| 3/4 cup olive oil | 2/3 cup flour | ||
| 1 1/2 cup chopped onions | 1/2 gal (8 cups) chicken broth | ||
| 4 tsp fennel seeds | 2 tsp chicken base / chicken bouillon cubes | ||
| 1 tsp thyme | 2 chopped tomatoes | ||
| 2 bay leaves | 1/3 cup tomato paste | ||
| 2 tsp chopped garlic | 1 tsp sugar | ||
| 4 tsp basil | 1 cup heavy cream | ||
| 4 red bell peppers, chopped | salt and pepper | ||
| 1 green bell pepper, chopped | |||
| 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped |
Heat olive oil and then add onions, fennel seeds, thyme, bay leaves, garlic, basil, red peppers, green peppers, and jalapeno. Sauté until wilted, about 10 minutes. Add flour and cook for 10 minutes. Do not burn. Add chicken broth and chicken base, whisk until smooth. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer 30 minutes. Add sugar and cream. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve.
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