Red Pepper Lentil Soup Food

ROASTED PEPPER AND LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heating element in your oven and preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Arrange red bell pepper halves, yellow bell pepper halves, and orange bell pepper halves onto prepared baking sheet with cut sides down.
• Roast peppers under the preheated broiler until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered, 5 to 8 minutes. Place the blackened peppers into a bowl and tightly seal with plastic wrap. Steam as they cool until the skin has loosened completely, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard skins. Cut peppers into small dice.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir onion and carrot in hot oil until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, tarragon, thyme, and paprika; continue to cook and stir until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Stir roasted peppers, tomatoes, water, and hot sauce into the peppers mixture, place a cover on the pot, and cook until the tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes.
• Pour vegetable broth into the pot; add lentils, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper; bring to a boil, cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.
• Pour soup into a blender or food processor no more than half full. Cover and hold lid down; pulse several time to get the soup to be only slightly chunky. Repeat processing until all soup has been blended.

RED LENTIL, CARROT AND ROASTED RED PEPPER SOUP

Steps:

• Put the first 8 ingredients into a stock pot, or large saucepan, and bring to a boil.
• Turn down the heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables and lentils are tender.
• Use an immersion blender, and puree the soup until no lumps remain, or puree in batches in a food processor or blender. (careful, it's hot!).
• Add the remaining ingredients, stir to blend, or use the immersion blender again, to get a nice smooth soup.
• Taste to adjust any seasoning.
• Bring it back to a simmer.
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.