Creamy Yellow Pepper And Tomato Soup Food

BELL PEPPER AND TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the red onion and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the potato, cayenne, garlic, bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring, until the potatoes are well coated, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer.
• Add bell pepper and tomatoes, bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook until the potatoes and vegetables are tender, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a simmer, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf and let cool at least 5 minutes. Carefully puree until smooth with a handheld immersion blender or in 2 to 3 batches in a blender (do not fill the blender more than halfway full).
• Reheat the soup and adjust the consistency with water if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a sprinkle of parsley and almonds and a drizzle of oil.

CREAMY RED PEPPER SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, garlic, and thyme and saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, bell peppers, potato, wine, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool the soup slightly.
• Using an immersion hand blender, puree the soup in the pot until it is smooth. Alternately, working in batches, puree the soup in a regular blender, taking care while blending warm liquids. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and saute until they are crisp and golden, about 8 minutes.
• Ladle the soup into bowls. Dollop a tablespoon of mascarpone in the center of each bowl and top with croutons. Sprinkle with pepper and serve.

CREAMY TOMATO AND ROASTED PEPPER SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrots and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute until just fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste and cook until toasted, just 1 more minute.
• Add tomatoes, red peppers, and chicken broth and let simmer for 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, and the sugar, if needed. Add half-and-half and basil, and puree using a hand held immersion blender until smooth.
• Serve in soup bowls with a sprinkle of fresh basil on top.

YELLOW PEPPER SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the peppers, leek, garlic, salt and turmeric, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
• Tie the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf together with kitchen twine. Add the potato, water, and herb bundle and bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, until the potato is very tender, about 20 minutes.
• Discard the herb bundle. Puree the soup in small batches in a blender (keep the lid cracked to allow steam to escape), or in the pot with an immersion blender, until smooth. Return to the pot and reheat. Stir in the vermouth, and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

ROASTED YELLOW PEPPER SOUP AND ROASTED TOMATO SOUP WITH SERRANO CREAM

Steps:

• To roast peppers:
• Using a long-handled fork char the peppers over an open flame, turning them, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the skins are blackened. (Or broil the peppers on the rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from the heat, turning them every 5 minutes, for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the skins are blistered and charred.) Transfer the peppers to a bowl and let them steam, covered, until they are cool enough to handle. Keeping the peppers whole, peel them starting at the blossom end, cut off the tops, and discard the seeds and ribs. (Wear rubber gloves when handling chilies.)
• Make the pepper soup:
• In a heavy saucepan cook the shallot, the thyme, and salt and pepper to taste in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the shallot is soft, add the bell peppers and 1 1/2 cups of the broth, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the peppers are very soft. In a blender purée the soup in batches until it is very smooth, forcing it as it is puréed through a fine sieve set over the pan, cleaned, and whisk in the cream, enough of the additional broth to reach the desired consistency, the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. The soup may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated.
• Make the tomato soup:
• Spread the tomatoes, skin side down, in one layer in 2 foil-lined jelly-roll pans, add the garlic to 1 of the pans, and bake the tomatoes and the garlic in a preheated 350°F. oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the tomatoes are very soft and their skin is dark brown. Let the tomatoes and the garlic cool in the pans on racks. In a heavy saucepan cook the shallot, the orégano, salt and pepper to taste in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the shallot is soft, add the tomatoes, the garlic (skins discarded), and 1 1/2 cups of the broth, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 15 minutes. In a blender purée the soup in batches until it is very smooth, forcing it as it is puréed through a fine sieve set over the pan, cleaned, and whisk in the cream, the additional broth if necessary (both soups should have the same consistency), the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. The soup may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated.
• Make the serrano cream:
• In a blender blend together the chilies, the garlic paste, and the créme fraîche until the mixture is combined well. (Be careful not to overblend the mixture or the cream may curdle.) Force the mixture through a fine sieve set over a small bowl. The serrano cream may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and brought to room temperature before serving.
• To serve the soup:
• For each serving ladle 1/2 cup of each soup into 2 glass measuring cups, pour the soups simultaneously into a shallow soup bowl from opposite sides of the bowl, and drizzle some of the serrano cream over each serving.

TRI-COLOUR SWEET PEPPER SOUP

Steps:

• NOTE: Directions are for the original Sweet Pepper Soup. Sometimes, however, I like to "mix things up". For my second version, I reduce the chicken broth to 4 cups, add 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes (I use Del Monte Petite Diced Tomatoes), 1-2 teaspoons of Dijon Mustard, and 1 cup of sour cream. It is a thicker, heartier soup that is equally enjoyable, just different.
• Melt one tablespoon of the butter over medium heat in a large Dutch Oven.
• Sweat the onions for 5 minutes until translucent and slightly yellow. I keep them covered during this process. If necessary, add additional tablespoon of butter so the onions do not burn.
• Add the three different coloured peppers, stirring well, to mix the soft onions and butter with the peppers. Set timer for 15 minutes; every 5 minutes, stir the peppers and onions and "taste test" the peppers to YOUR degree of doneness. We really enjoy a very soft pepper so it takes the full 15 minutes to achieve that texture.
• Add the six cups of chicken broth and the teaspoon of paprika and stir well, until combined. ( if using the can of diced tomatoes, use FOUR cups of chicken broth and the can of diced tomatoes).
• Bring the soup to a boil, reduce down to a simmer and cover. Every 5 minutes, gently stir the soup. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• If you choose to make this a richer soup, use an immersion stick blender to blend up the soup until it is coloured flecks of the peppers. Add the sour cream and Dijon mustard, stir well until heated. DO NOT BOIL!
• Serve immediately.