SUNSET'S ROASTED RED PEPPER-TOMATO SOUP, ADAPTED

I love it when produce is on a fire sale. Our local Harris Teeter had large red peppers for 99 cents last week. Thanks to Debbie Meyer green bags, six red peppers will last me for several weeks. I roasted 2 of them yesterday so I could make this soup and have some left over for sandwiches. This recipe comes courtesy of Sunset magazine, and was posted on myrecipes.com with stellar reviews. I followed the recipe pretty closely, just reducing the tomatoes a bit, increasing the peppers and topping off my soup with a drizzle of fat-free half and half; Guy said he wanted his soup straight up. We both enjoyed this soup. It's not my favorite roasted red pepper soup recipe, but it was very enjoyable and I might make it again sometime; that is, if I run out of other recipes to try.






Sunset's Roasted Red Pepper-Tomato Soup, Adapted one-third recipe
Rating: 8 out of 10
INGREDIENTS: 1-1/2 roasted red pepper (homemade or jarred)
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
heaping 1/2 cup chopped onion
1-1/2 tsp. coarsely chopped garlic
1 cup tomatoes with their juice (canned or fresh)
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 tsp. lemon juice
sea salt and pepper to taste
Toppings: creme fraiche, sour cream, yogurt or just a drizzle of fat-free half and half;
chopped parsley

To roast the red peppers: preheat broiler or charcoal grill. Cut the peppers in half. Place in a baking pan and broil, skin side up, 4-5" from heat (or place directly on grill, skin side down) until skins are black and blistered, about 5-8 minutes. Place peppers in a paper bag or in a bowl with plastic wrap over it. Let cool 10-15 minutes. Peel the peppers and chop coarsely, reserving juices.

In a medium pan over medium heat, add the oil and onion; stir often until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir until translucent, 1-2 minutes. Add peppers, tomatoes, juices, and paprika. Bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.

In a blender or food processor, puree the soup until smooth. Return to pan and stir in broth and lemon juice. Stir over medium heat until hot. Taste to adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into cups or bowls and garnish as desired. (Can be made up to 3 days ahead. Store airtight in fridge. Reheat before serving.) Yield: 2 large servings or 4 smaller servings

ROASTED RED PEPPER SOUP WITH PESTO CROUTONS, Adapted

The Monday morning weather curse is still upon Eastern North Carolina. Our Plein Air class met inside again. The weather was only a threat -- no rain actually fell. It's ok with me; I actually prefer painting inside. The front that passed over brought some cooler weather, and soup was a perfect first course for dinner. I actually made this red pepper soup last week and had fire-roasted tomato soup tonight, but that post will come later. The May issue of Southern Living had this roasted red pepper soup recipe. I made the croutons, which turned out very well, then forgot to put them in the soup. They were great in the tomato soup though. This soup makes up quickly and is really good.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup With Pesto Croutons
1/4 cup refrigerated pesto, at room temperature
6 sourdough (or French) bread slices
2 Tbsp. Smart Balance buttery spread
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 (15-oz.) jar roasted red bell pepers, rinsed and drained
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup Land o' Lakes fat-free half and half
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Sea Salt and black pepper to taste
Garnishes: chopped parsley; shaved Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Spread pesto on 1 side of each bread slice. Cut each bread slice into 1/2 - to 1-inch cubes. Place bread cubes in a single layer on a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pan. Bake 16-20 minutes or until golden, turning once after 10 mnutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Melt Smart Balance in a 3-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallot and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir in bell peppers and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool 10 minutes. Process red pepper mixture, in batches, in a blender 8-10 seconds until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Return red pepper mixture to pot; stir in half and half and parsley and cook over medium heat 5 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Do not boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into 6 bowls; top with parsley, Parmesan cheese and croutons. (Recipe states 6 servings, but it was more like 4, unless you like a tiny little bowl of soup. The croutons can be used for salads and other soups, so go ahead and make them all. I made half pesto and half garlic. They were both good.)