Roasted Red Pepper Soup

This is both sweet and savory and has an interesting texture to it.

Directions

Blacken red peppers under your broiler, on a tray lined with Gefen Parchment Paper, until the skins are charred and shriveled.

Remove peppers from oven or leave in oven with door closed and oven off to facilitate removing the peel. (I’ve done it both ways.) Peel peppers with a knife to remove charred part.

Puree peppers and garlic in food processor until thick. Add basil leaves and puree. Transfer this mixture to a medium size pot.

Add honey, tomato sauce, tomato puree and water. Simmer until heated through.

Add salt, pepper, and light brown sugar. Adjust the amount of water (add more for a thinner soup), honey, and other ingredients to taste.

Garnish with chow mein noodles, croutons, or a spoonful of thick plain yogurt.

Tips:

Roast and peel double the amount of peppers that you need because they freeze well. This way you avoid the mess twice. Also, you can roast red peppers with olive oil, garlic, parsley, and a touch of vinegar. Then peel, chop, and add to fresh salads for a welcome change. Another idea is to use roasted red peppers as a topping for pizza, especially pizza made with tofu and not cheese.

Variations:

Add a little dry white wine to the soup in place of some of the water for added zip.