Ingredients

• 1/4  cup dairy sour cream
• 1/2  teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
• 1  teaspoon lemon juice
• Few drops  bottled hot pepper sauce
• 1  large red onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
• 3  cloves garlic
• 1  tablespoon margarine or butter
• 2  small red sweet peppers, coarsely chopped (1-1/2 cups)
• 1  large tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
• 1  tablespoon ouzo or anise liqueur or 1/8 teaspoon anise seed, crushed
• 1/2  teaspoon dried herbes de Provence or fines herbes, crushed
• 1/2  teaspoon paprika
• 1-1/2  cups chicken broth
•   Tarragon sprigs (optional)
• 1/4  cup dairy sour cream
•   Shredded lemon peel (optional)

Directions

1. For Lemon Sour Cream: Stir together the 1/4 cup dairy sour cream, the lemon peel, lemon juice, and hot pepper sauce in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan cook onion and garlic in hot margarine or butter until tender. Add peppers; cover and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until peppers are soft, stirring occasionally.

3. Add tomato, liqueur or anise seed, herbes de Provence or fine herbes, and paprika. Add broth; bring to boiling. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

4. Pour the soup into a blender container or food processor bowl (half at a time, if necessary). Cover and blend or process until smooth; return mixture to saucepan. Stir in the 1/4 cup sour cream; heat through, but do not boil.

5. To serve, spoon into soup bowls. Top each serving with about 1 tablespoon of Lemon Sour Cream; draw a knife through the cream to swirl. Garnish with additional lemon peel and tarragon sprigs, if desired. Makes 4 appetizer servings.

Make-ahead Tip: Prepare and blend soup, but do not add sour cream. Transfer soup to a storage container. Cover, cook, and chill up to 24 hours. Before serving, transfer soup to a saucepan; bring to boiling. Remove from heat; add the sour cream. Serve as directed.