My mother made this soup many years ago for Thanksgiving, and it’s
become the custom in my family to start the holiday meal with it. My brother
is so tied to this soup that, try as I might to shake it up, I’ve now accepted the
roasted pepper soup as required. Traditions are simply repetitions, no? The
small victories here, beyond making my big brother very happy, are twofold:
First, a way to prepare roasted peppers without standing over the stove and
taking up all of your burners (hello, broiler!). Second, how to puree hot soup
without Jackson Pollock-ing your kitchen or injuring yourself. Both
techniques, outlined in the recipe, will give you a tremendous leg up in the
world of vegetable and soup cookery. This soup tastes even better the day
after you make it. Simply cool it down, refrigerate it, and then gently reheat it
before serving.
SERVES 6 TO 8
4 red bell peppers,halved, cored, seeded, and deribbed
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, finely diced
3 fresh thyme sprigs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 russet potato, peeled and roughly diced
2 semifirm pears, peeled, cored, and roughly diced
6 cups [1.4 L] chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade
Sour cream and finely chopped fresh Italian parsley for serving
Set your oven rack so it’s 6 in [15 cm] from the broiler and preheat your broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Put the bell pepper halves skin-side up on the prepared baking sheet and broil, turning the baking sheet so they broil evenly, until the skins are completely blackened, 10 to 15 minutes depending on the strength of your broiler. Immediately transfer the pepper halves to a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to trap all the steam (the steam will help loosen the skins). Let the peppers sit until they’re cool enough to handle. Rub off and discard the charred skins under running water. Roughly chop the roasted, peeled peppers and set them aside.
Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and thyme and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are softened but haven’t taken on any color, about 15 minutes.
Add the roasted peppers, along with the diced potato and pears, to the pot. Give everything another sprinkle of salt and pepper and then add the chicken stock. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Then turn the heat to low and let the soup simmer until the potatoes can be easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
Fish out and discard the thyme stems (most of the thyme leaves will have fallen off into the soup, which is A-OK!). Puree the soup with an immersion blender (be sure to keep it submerged so hot soup doesn’t splash around) or with a regular blender. If using the latter, transfer only enough soup at a time to the blender to fill the container no more than one-third full, place the lid on the blender, and put a kitchen towel on top of the blender in the event any hot liquid or steam wants to escape.
Start on low speed and slowly work your way up to high to completely puree the soup. Transfer the blended soup to a clean pot and reheat. (Or, if you don’t have another large pot, transfer it to a bowl or pitcher and then, once all the soup is pureed, rinse the original pot and return the pureed soup to it). Season to taste with more salt and/or pepper.
Serve the soup hot, topping each portion with a generous spoonful of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
SPIN-OFFS
One of my other favorite uses for roasted red peppers is to puree them with chickpeas and yogurt for a HUMMUS-ESQUE DIP; season with salt, Aleppo pepper (or any chile pepper), and fresh lemon juice. Or puree them with mayonnaise or cream cheese for A GREAT SANDWICH SPREAD.
Roasted peppers can also be pureed with canned tomatoes for a SOUP OR SAUCE.
Or don’t puree them! SERVE THEM ON THEIR OWN, adorned with feta cheese and slices of crisp cucumber and dressed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and fresh oregano. Or dress with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and torn fresh basil leaves, get some good mozzarella and a loaf of bread, and call it a day!
Use the same onion, garlic, carrot, bay, thyme, and stock base for a pureed SQUASH SOUP, substituting roasted squash for the peppers, potatoes, and pears. A few minced fresh sage leaves go really nicely with butternut squash, and spicy harissa is a great complement to kabocha squash.
Or try ROASTED LEEKS AND CAULIFLOWER in place of the peppers, potatoes, and pears. Or ROASTED CARROTS WITH SOME CURRY POWDER—substitute 1 cup [240 ml] full-fat coconut milk for the same amount of stock. The possibilities are quite limitless.
SERVES 6 TO 8
4 red bell peppers,halved, cored, seeded, and deribbed
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, finely diced
3 fresh thyme sprigs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 russet potato, peeled and roughly diced
2 semifirm pears, peeled, cored, and roughly diced
6 cups [1.4 L] chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade
Sour cream and finely chopped fresh Italian parsley for serving
Set your oven rack so it’s 6 in [15 cm] from the broiler and preheat your broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Put the bell pepper halves skin-side up on the prepared baking sheet and broil, turning the baking sheet so they broil evenly, until the skins are completely blackened, 10 to 15 minutes depending on the strength of your broiler. Immediately transfer the pepper halves to a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to trap all the steam (the steam will help loosen the skins). Let the peppers sit until they’re cool enough to handle. Rub off and discard the charred skins under running water. Roughly chop the roasted, peeled peppers and set them aside.
Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and thyme and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are softened but haven’t taken on any color, about 15 minutes.
Add the roasted peppers, along with the diced potato and pears, to the pot. Give everything another sprinkle of salt and pepper and then add the chicken stock. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Then turn the heat to low and let the soup simmer until the potatoes can be easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
Fish out and discard the thyme stems (most of the thyme leaves will have fallen off into the soup, which is A-OK!). Puree the soup with an immersion blender (be sure to keep it submerged so hot soup doesn’t splash around) or with a regular blender. If using the latter, transfer only enough soup at a time to the blender to fill the container no more than one-third full, place the lid on the blender, and put a kitchen towel on top of the blender in the event any hot liquid or steam wants to escape.
Start on low speed and slowly work your way up to high to completely puree the soup. Transfer the blended soup to a clean pot and reheat. (Or, if you don’t have another large pot, transfer it to a bowl or pitcher and then, once all the soup is pureed, rinse the original pot and return the pureed soup to it). Season to taste with more salt and/or pepper.
Serve the soup hot, topping each portion with a generous spoonful of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
SPIN-OFFS
One of my other favorite uses for roasted red peppers is to puree them with chickpeas and yogurt for a HUMMUS-ESQUE DIP; season with salt, Aleppo pepper (or any chile pepper), and fresh lemon juice. Or puree them with mayonnaise or cream cheese for A GREAT SANDWICH SPREAD.
Roasted peppers can also be pureed with canned tomatoes for a SOUP OR SAUCE.
Or don’t puree them! SERVE THEM ON THEIR OWN, adorned with feta cheese and slices of crisp cucumber and dressed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and fresh oregano. Or dress with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and torn fresh basil leaves, get some good mozzarella and a loaf of bread, and call it a day!
Use the same onion, garlic, carrot, bay, thyme, and stock base for a pureed SQUASH SOUP, substituting roasted squash for the peppers, potatoes, and pears. A few minced fresh sage leaves go really nicely with butternut squash, and spicy harissa is a great complement to kabocha squash.
Or try ROASTED LEEKS AND CAULIFLOWER in place of the peppers, potatoes, and pears. Or ROASTED CARROTS WITH SOME CURRY POWDER—substitute 1 cup [240 ml] full-fat coconut milk for the same amount of stock. The possibilities are quite limitless.
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