Chilled Tomato Red Pepper Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium, add the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until juicy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato juice, basil sprigs and 3 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the tomatoes are very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add 3 cups bread cubes and return the soup to a simmer. Cook, mashing the bread with a wooden spoon, until broken down, 5 to 7 minutes. Discard the basil sprigs. Stir in the vinegar. Working in two batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth, adding 2 tablespoons olive oil per batch. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Before serving, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the remaining 2 cups bread cubes; cook, tossing, until golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Season the soup with salt; top with the croutons and chopped basil.

Steps:

• Roast peppers: rub oil on peppers and put them under the broiler until blackened, turn to get all sides. Put into paper bag and seal. Let rest for 15 minutes, then peel will come right off and core and seeds will fall out. Chop peppers. Reserve one chopped pepper; set aside.
• Heat olive oil over moderate heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato, bell peppers (except reserved), thyme, paprika, and sugar. Cook over medium-low heat until all the tomato juices have evaporated, about 25 minutes.
• Stir in chicken stock, salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, and hot sauce (if using). Bring to boiling, lower heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Strain soup, reserving broth. Place solids in food processor or blender, and process until fairly smooth. Add puree back into broth.
• Melt butter and stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute. Stirring slowly, add the broth/vegetable mixture. Add reserved chopped pepper and bring to boiling. Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes.
• Ladle into bowls and add 1 tablespoon of sour cream to each bowl. For a lighter soup, this is also delicious without the sour cream.

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Holding bell pepper at stem, cut into 3 flat pieces. Discard stem end, core and seeds. Repeat with remaining pepper. Place pieces skin side up on broilerproof pan. Broil bell peppers until skin is charred and blackened, about 8 minutes. Transfer bell peppers to plastic bag. Twist bag to seal and let stand until peppers are cool. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead; chill.)
• Peel peppers and cut into thirds. Combine with tomato juice and garlic in blender. Puree until smooth. Stir in green onions and basil. Season generously with pepper. Refrigerate overnight.
• Garnish with yogurt and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• Toss bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, and garlic with oil and coriander in a large roasting pan and broil about 4 inches from heat until edges of vegetables are charred, about 7 minutes. Stir vegetables, then broil until vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes more.
• Purée vegetables with any juices from pan in batches in a blender until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients except mint.
• Cool soup, uncovered, 30 minutes, then chill, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours. Just before serving, stir in mint.