4 meaty red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, cored & seeded
2 c. imported Italian canned tomatoes, seeded & drained
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled & finely minced
3 c. defatted chicken stock
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Basil leaves
Paper thin slices of lemon

Puree three of the peppers and all the tomatoes in a food processor blender until finely textured but not completely smooth. Cut the remaining pepper into julienne strips and set aside.

Gently heat the olive oil and garlic. When the garlic releases its fragrance, after about 2 minutes, stir in the pureed pepper and tomato mixture. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Let the soup cool, then cover and chill in the refrigerator. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Float basil leaves and a lemon slice in each bowl. Serves 4.