Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

This is one of my favorite soups-absolutely full of flavor, including the aromatic tang of fresh lime.

Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredients:
2-3 tbls. Light Olive Oil
3 Large Red Sweet Peppers (cored, deseeded, and roughly sliced)
2 Onions (peeled and chopped)
2 Garlic Cloves (peeled and sliced)
6 Tomatoes (skinned and chopped)
1 tbls. Tomato Puree
2 tspn. Thyme Leaves or 1 tspn. Dried Thyme Leaves
1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 qt. Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
The juice of 1 Lime
Handful of Shredded Fresh Basil Leaves
Fresh Basil Leaves (for garnish)

Procedure:
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the peppers and onions. Cover the pan and sweat the vegetables over a gentle heat for 15-20 minutes so that they soften but do not brown.

2. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, thyme, and flour to the pan, stir well and cook for 2 minutes, stirring all the rime.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually add the stock. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Season with salt and pepper, reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

4. Allow the mixture to cool, then puree it in a food processor or blender until really smooth. Pour back into the pan to heat. Just before serving, stir in the lime juice and shredded basil leaves. Serve garnished with more shredded or whole basil leaves.