Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup

I love this soup! Yes, it is very delicious. Yes, it is full of vitamin C (and rather high in vitamin A also). Yes, it is creamy. Perhaps most importantly, it is versatile, like a good black dress. It can be dressed up and placed in espresso cups, shot glasses or similar elegant appetizer size glasses for that a formal or semi-formal event. However, it can also be dressed down and placed in mugs or bowls for a comfortable, casual gathering or everyday meal.

I slightly adapted the recipe from one that is in one of my new (old) favorite cookbooks, The Greenbrier Cookbook: Favorite Recipes from America's Resort. The Greenbrier Resort is a National Historic Landmark and luxury resort in White Sulfur Springs, West Virgina that is famous for golf, a spa, an underground bunker, and great food.

As I have only driven by the Greenbrier Resort twice in my life and never was inside, I can’t say how this might taste by comparison to what they might serve. I only know that not only do I love this soup, but my daughter (who hardly touches cooked cream of tomato soup from a can but likes soup) loved this soup.

Although recipe rather decadently uses heavy cream, you can lighten it up some by using evaporated milk or half and half.

I should also tell you that I rarely use salt added canned products or stock. Thus, you should adjust the suggested salt level if you are using products with higher sodium levels. Frankly, I think that when it comes to cooking anything seasonings should always be adjusted to personal tastes.

Although you could use jarred roasted peppers, I find that roasting them is super simple and I think they taste much better. My next post will have how to roast peppers 🙂

Recipe: Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. canola or olive oil
1 large (yellow, white or sweet) onion, diced
1/2 c. (1 average sized) carrot, diced
1/2 to 1 Tbsp. garlic, finely diced
5 large, roasted red peppers, chopped
1 c. sparkling cider (I like Martinelli)
6 c. chicken or vegetable stock (low sodium)
1 bay leaf
approx. 1 1/2 tsp. salt, to taste
ground cayenne pepper, to taste
2 c. heavy cream

Instructions:

In a large heavy pot, heat oil and add onions and carrots.
When the onions become rather translucent and tender, add garlic while stirring. (DO NOT BROWN)
After about a minute, add roasted peppers and sparkling cider.
Cook the liquid is reduced to about half.
Add bay leaf and stock.
Continue to cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Remove bay leaf.
Either, use a immersion or regular blender or food processor, blend until smooth then run through a sieve or strainer into another cooking pot. OR, run the cooked mixture through a food mill into another cooking pot. Both methods should remove any pepper skins and seeds and make for smooth textured soup.
Add cream to the blended and strained pepper mixture.
Add back on heat until the soup boils for a few minutes.
Serve warm or cold.
Serve plain or garnish with parsley, chives, paprika, plain yogurt, sour cream, or creme fraîche.