Roasted Red Pepper Soup

This week's recipe for the bridge between summer and winter, Samhain, or just because

From where I type, fall has been slow to arrive. The volunteer cherry tomato plant in the front yard has morphed into an octopus, its vines now extending onto the porch. In the back, the bees are still sucking up every last bit of zinnia nectar. The chiles — a stalwart gang of jalapeno, Scotch Bonnet, and pepperoncini bushes— are still making fruit.

At nearby farm stands, you can get a basket of bell peppers in all the colors of the traffic light for five bucks. That means late-season salads studded with peppers that actually taste like peppers (and not the hot-house numbers in the plastic sleeve from Canada). It also means lots of roasting.

With Halloween, Day of the Dead, and Samhain all on tap this week, I could have roasted a pumpkin instead. But winter squash is meant to last. Bell peppers not so much.

It’s hard to argue with a charred pepper. As the skin blackens and crackles into embers under the blast of heat, the fruit beneath transforms from crunchy and vegetal to silky and rich. Caramelized. That yin-yang of sweet and smoky. Alchemy at work.

A blender or food processor is in order for this puree. I’m partial to an immersion blender which you can stick right into the pot, but use what you have on hand.

Other practical matters:

• Instead of dairy, I harness the thickening power of potatoes. By all means, add some cream at the end if you like (or a dollop of creme fraiche at the table).

• The bourbon add is a flourish and not a deal breaker. It plays off the sweetness of the peppers. If you’ve got some in the hootch cabinet, give it a whirl. But don’t fret if you don’t or can’t.

• Feel free to roast the peppers a few days in advance and have at the ready for a twenty-minute soup. Or freeze the peppers for January when you really need a taste of sunnier days.

Let me know if you whip this up, and report back in the comments. I would love to hear from you.

Missed last week’s pumpkin bread recipe? Here you go.

Roasted Red Pepper Souppdf

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ROASTED RED PEPPER SOUP

©Kim O’Donnel

Makes 4 to 6 servings

·      3 medium roasted red bell peppers (how-to-roast details below)

·      2 tablespoons neutral oil

·      1 medium yellow onion, chopped

·      1 clove garlic, smashed

·      1 pound medium-starch potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled and quartered (about 3 potatoes)

·      1 to 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried)

·      3 cups water or stock

·      1 teaspoon fine sea salt

·      ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

·      ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne

·      1 to 2 ounces bourbon or rye (optional)

·      ½ lemon, for finishing

Coarsely chop peppers and set aside.

Locate your favorite soup pot sand set over medium heat. Add the oil, tilting the pot until the surface is coated. Add the onion, cooking until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, stirring until coated with the oil. Add the potatoes, thyme, water, and salt, increasing the heat to medium-high. When there is an active boil, lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Remove the thyme sprigs. Add the peppers, smoked paprika, cayenne, and bourbon (if using). Give everything a good stir until the spices are evenly mixed.

Using a blender or food processor (I really like an immersion blender here), puree until smooth and free of lumps. Squeeze the lemon all over. Taste for salt and acid, adding more as needed.

KOD’s Notes on Roasting Peppers

Depending on your kitchen set up, there are three options: Under the broiler; in a 400 F oven; or directly on a stovetop grate (gas cooktops only).

For the oven method, cook time is 30 to 40 minutes. Under the broiler, estimate 20 minutes. Stovetop grate charring can happen in as few as 10 minutes.

You’re looking for charring on all sides. Peppers will shrink and release water as they char. Use a parchment-lined sheet pan for the oven or broiler.