Peg's Shrimp Bisque Appetizer

My friend Peg makes this soup every Christmas Eve for friends. It is so good that everyone always wants more. This recipe serves 6 3/4 cup servings so make several batches in advance if serving as a main course.

Ingredients:

1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper chopped
1/2 c yellow onion chopped
1/2 lb raw shrimp cleaned and cut in pieces. (Save a few cleaned whole shrimp with tails on for garnish)
2 cups fat free or reduced fat half & half
1 c tomato sauce (sodium free)
1/4 tsp hot sauce (+ or - to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp butter
1/4 c freshly grated parmesean or pecorino

Heat olive oil in a sauce pan.  Add red pepper and onion, saute on low heat until soft, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add shrimp, (may include the whole shrimp or saute on the side), half and half, tomato sauce, hot sauce and salt and pepper.
Bring to a just a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add butter.
Reserve whole shrimp. Let soup mixture cool to room temperature. Put small amount of soup into a blender, (too hot or too much will explode in the blender and will scald... be careful). Process at high speed 10-15 seconds until no large pieces remain. There should be small pieces of shrimp for texture. Again, this is a taste preference. Transfer soup to a clean saucepan. Repeat with blender mixture until done.
Reheat soup on low heat.
Transfer to soup bowls, sprinkle with cheese, garnish with whole shrimp. Enjoy.