Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 can Piquillo peppers
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 4 small Yukon Gold potatoes or 68 small red new potatoes, unpeeled, chopped
• 1/2 cup Crema, creme fraiche or sour cream
• 1/2 cup grated Manchego cheese
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup buttermilk

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Instructions

1. In a heavy Dutch oven or stockpot, melt butter over moderate heat and saute the onions, half of the piquillo peppers, and salt and pepper until the onions turn a light golden color, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook briefly just to release the aroma, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Pour in the chicken stock, add the potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 20 minutes. Puree in a food processor or blender just until smooth, being careful not to overprocess. Overworking will result in a gummy soup. Return to the pot, stir in the crema or creme fraiche or sour cream and bring just to a boil. Julienne half of the remaining piquillos and stir into the soup.
3. Puree the remaining piquillos in a mini processor and put in a bowl. Whip the cream until soft peaks form and gently fold in the pureed piquillos and the cheese.
4. Divide hot soup into bowls, top each with a dollop of the piquillo cream and serve.
5. Whisk the cream and buttermilk together. Cover and set in a warm place (a gas oven with just the heat from the pilot light is fine) for 8 hours. Crema may be kept in the refrigerator as long as a week.