Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Serve the soup up with some popovers, crusty bread or some warmed nann bread.
Ingredients:
4 red bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise with seeds and membranes scooped out
1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
1 yellow onion, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 14oz. can diced or whole tomatoes, undrained – I used diced tomatoes
1 liter (4 1/4 cups) vegetable stock or chicken stock- I used vegetable stock
1/4 – 1/2 cup sour cream (optional) – I added a little less than 1/2 cup here
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wash the peppers and then cut them in half lengthwise. Cut the stem off with a pairing
knife and scoop out all the seeds and membranes using either a spoon or melon baller.
Place the peppers cut side down on the prepared baking sheet.
Roast peppers in pre-heated 450 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until the skins are completely wrinkled and the peppers are charred, rotating the sheet if necessary for them to cook evenly.
Let peppers cool for a minute or two, and then remove them from the baking sheet, place them in a bowl, cover bowl with foil or a plate, and let them cool for about 30minutes.
When peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and discard them.
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil or ghee over medium-high heat.
Add in the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add in the thyme leaves, tomatoes with their juice, and chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.
Add the red peppers along with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, making sure to stirthe soup every so often.
1After the soup has cooked for 20 minutes, add in the sour cream and season with a salt and pepper to taste. Note: The soup is going to look a bit curdled until you puree it.
Puree soup with either a blender or a hand-held immersion blender until smooth. If you're using a blender to puree the soup, make sure to wipe out the pot before adding back the soup. Turn the heat to low, and heat the soup through. Give the soup a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Serve the soup up with some popovers, crusty bread or some warmed nann bread