roasted pepper soup

Firstly, I have never felt prouder to be an American. Yes, I am American (well, half) and after last night's election results, I am happy to advertise that fact more prominently!!!

Now, onto the food!

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I made this recipe a while ago, but hadn’t posted it until now.

I'm not sure why I delayed, but I guess there was always something else I wanted to post first.

Then I saw the snarky blog, Thursday Night Smackdown, and Michelle's First Thursdays event and I knew there was a reason I'd held off.

This First Thursdays theme is “An ingredient you think you don’t like” and since I detest capsicum (peppers) I knew it was exactly what Michelle was after.


I hate capsicum. Always have for as long as I can remember.

Every month I try it again, just in case, and the results are the same: no me gusta.

I like chillies, because the heat disguises the capsicum flavour, but if they’re too mild and I taste the capsicum, I’m not happy.

When I first saw this recipe in Tessa Kiros’ Falling Cloudberries, a cookbook I adore, I knew that if anyone could make capsicum tasty it would be reliable Tess.

It was a success.

For some reason, I really, really enjoyed this soup. I ate it all and went back for seconds.

I was so excited that I’d overcome my dislike of capsicum, that I tried some sweet, roasted pepper the next day and blah! Yucky, yucky, yucky!

Who knows what’s going on, but all I can say is that this recipe works for me and I enjoy it.

I think this is the spirit Michelle was aiming for when she encouraged us all to try cooking with an ingredient we don’t like.

Roasted Pepper Soup
Recipe from Falling Clouberries by Tessa Kiros. Serves 4.

Ingredients:
4 red peppers (capsicum)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small onion, chopped
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
300g plain Greek yoghurt
40g pitted black olives, chopped
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
Leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs, finely chopped

Method:

1. Cut capsicum in half, lengthways, and remove seeds.

2. Preheat grill. Line an oven tray with foil and arrange peppers skin-side up in a single layer.

3. Grill for 30 minutes until the skin has darkened and swelled and the capsicum is soft.

4. Put hot capsicum in a plastic bag and seal. Leave for 5 minutes as the sweating helps to remove the skin.

5. Peel skin from capsicum.

6. Heat olive oil in a large pot and sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until soft.

7. Add tomato and cook until it bubbles.

8. Tear capsicum halves into large chunks and add them to pot. Season with salt and pepper.

9. Add 750ml water and bring to the boil, then lower heat, cover pan and simmer for 30 minutes.

10. Remove from heat and purée. The soup should remain thick, so if it’s watery simmer uncovered to reduce. Add more water if too thick.

11. Check seasoning then serve with dollops of yoghurt and sprinkles of lemon rind, rosemary and chopped olives.

Variations: add chilli while cooking or shelled, cooked prawns before serving.

Tags: morsels and musings food blog food and drink australia recipes capsicum soup pepper soup soup capsicum peppers pepper recipes capsicum recipes soup recipes mediterranean recipes mediterranean food mediterranean cuisine