Roasted Red Pepper Soup

This was great starter to one of my meals. However, anyone considering this recipe should know that it is labor intensive. I left some of the roasted skin on the peppers (partly for timing and partly due to laziness) and I think it gave it more of that roasted flavor that they refer to in the title.

We added red chili flakes to give it some heat and we served each portion with a dollop of homemade pesto I made from my mom's basil bush and sour cream. I would suggest adding these items when you make this recipe, too. I thought they worked beautifully and really added to the dish without distracting from the soup.

Chilled Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Gourmet August 1999 Serves 8

7 red bell peppers (2 3/4 pounds)
1 medium onion
1 small boiling potato
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 1/2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
1 medium tomato
Accompaniment: lime wedges

Quick-roast and peel peppers. Chop onion. Peel potato and cut into 1/4-inch dice. In a 5-quart heavy kettle heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté onion, potato, and cumin, stirring, 5 minutes. Add roasted peppers, water, and broth and simmer, covered, 20 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender.
While soup is cooking, peel and seed tomato.

Purée soup in batches with tomato in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Cool soup. Chill soup, covered, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days. Adjust seasoning.

Serve soup with lime wedges. (I used a basil leaf instead)

Roasted Red Pepper Soup