Recipe: Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Garlic and Onion Soup (blender)

ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER, GARLIC AND ONION SOUP

4 large red bell peppers
1 head garlic, unpeeled, broken into cloves
2 medium red onions (1 pound total), peeled and cut into 6 wedges each
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 medium-size tomatoes, stemmed and coarsely chopped (don't bother seeding or peeling)
1 quart chicken broth, divided use
1/2 tsp. dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
2 fresh poblano chiles, roasted,* finely chopped (optional)
1 cup sour cream (or creme fraiche)
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut stems out of bell peppers (2 pounds) and discard. Cut peppers in half lengthwise; hit them together to get rid of their seeds. Cut out any strips of white pulp. Chop pepper halves coarsely.

Toss chopped pepper with garlic, onion and olive oil in roasting pan or sheet pan just large enough to hold them in single layer.

Slide pan into oven; bake mixture, stirring every 15 minutes, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until peppers are browned on edges, onions have browned and come apart and bottom of pan is covered with light caramelized glaze.

Take pan out of oven; transfer peppers, garlic and onions to heavy-bottomed pot. Add tomatoes, half of broth and oregano to pot, and bring to simmer.

Add remaining broth to roasting pan; scrape bottom of pan for 2-3 minutes with wooden spoon so caramelized glaze dissolves into broth. Add this liquid to pot. Simmer 20 minutes more, until tomatoes are falling apart.

In blender, puree mixture, then strain it, pushing it through strainer with ladle, or work it through food mill.

Stir in chopped chiles, if using, with sour cream or creme fraiche (reserving some for swirling on top). Season red pepper soup to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Ladle soup into heated bowls. Swirl top of each serving with poblano mixture or plain sour cream or creme fraiche.

*If using poblanos, char skin on top of stove by turning chiles around in flame until they are thoroughly charred -- white ash means you are overdoing it. Alternatively, roast peppers under broiler in electric stove. Put hot poblanos in plastic bag for 10 minutes so steam loosens blackened skin. Scrape blackened skin off chiles with small knife; quickly rinse them under cold water. Cut out stems; cut chiles in half lengthwise. Rinse out seeds; cut out any white pulp.

Makes 6 first-course servings
Adapted from source: Splendid Soups by James Peterson