Red and Yellow Pepper Soup
If you grow your own peppers you may have a glut – alternatively when peppers are a good price it is worth buying half a dozen to make this tasty warmer. The flavour of the peppers is improved by roasting them before being cooked briefly and blitzed to a smooth soup. Delicious with fresh crusty bread.
Serves 12
Ingredients
Red Pepper Soup
6 Red Peppers
3 large ripe tomatoes
1 tbsp Rapeseed Oil
2 cloves garlic
1 onion chopped and fried in 1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp Mixed dried herbs
1 dried bay leaf or 2 fresh
salt and pepper
2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
600ml Vegetable Stock (or chicken stock)
200ml water
Yellow Pepper Soup
6 Yellow Peppers
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp Rapeseed Oil
1 onion chopped small and 1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp Cornflour
1 dried bay leaf or two fresh
Salt and Pepper
600ml Vegetable Stock
200ml Water
50ml Cream (optional – leave out for a vegan soup)
Preparation
Red Pepper SoupPreheat the oven to 200 degrees c. Remove the stalks and seeds from the peppers, cut the flesh into 2 cm dice then toss in the tbsp. rapeseed oil and spread out in a large roasting tray. Add the cloves of garlic and the tomatoes cut in half. Pop the tray into the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes until the edges of the peppers are starting to tinge.
Whilst the peppers are roasting use a large saucepan, add another tbsp. oil and fry the finely chopped onion for about 10 minutes until softened then add the dried mixed herbs and stir.
When the peppers have roasted transfer them to the pan with the onions and add then the bay leaf, salt and pepper, ketchup, stock and water. Give everything a good stir, bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf then blitz to a thick smooth soup. Check the seasoning and serve. Also freezes well.
Yellow Pepper Soup
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees c. Remove the stalks and seeds from the peppers, cut the flesh into 2 cm dice then toss in the tbsp. rapeseed oil and spread out in a large roasting tray. Add the cloves of garlic. Pop the tray into the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes until the edges of the peppers are starting to tinge.
Whilst the peppers are roasting use a large saucepan, add another tbsp. oil and fry the finely chopped onion for about 10 minutes until softened then add the mustard, turmeric and cornflour. Stir well then add the salt and pepper.
When the peppers have roasted transfer them to the pan with the onions and add then the bay leaf, stock and water. Give everything a good stir, bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf then blitz to a thick smooth soup and add the cream if using. Check the seasoning and serve. Also freezes well. Garnish with pesto, chopped chives, basil leaf.