Roasted Sweet Pepper Soup Two Ways: Basic or Hearty

Ingredients for basic roasted sweet pepper soup

• 3 tbsp. (45 ml) olive oil
• 6 red sweet peppers, halved and seeded
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 celery stalks, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 6 cups (1.5 L) homemade or store-bought chicken broth
• ¼ cup (60 ml) tomato paste
• ½ tsp. (2.5 ml) curry powder
• ½ tsp. (2.5 ml) ground turmeric
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Ingredients to add to basic soup to make it hearty

• 2 cups (500 ml) cooked chickpeas or 1 19-oz (540 ml) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups (500 ml) cooked rice
• 3 Lebanese cucumbers, peeled and sliced
• 8 oz. (250 g) Manchego cheese, cubed
• Croutons, to taste, for the topping
• Chopped fresh herbs, to taste, for the topping

Preparation for basic soup

• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Oil a large baking sheet.
• Make basic roasted pepper soup: Put peppers on baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in oven until skins blister and start to blacken, about 40 minutes (or use one of the two other techniques suggested below).
• Transfer roasted peppers to a sealable container. Cover and let cool: the steam from the peppers will help peel off the skins. Remove and discard pepper skins.
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add roasted peppers, broth and tomato paste, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until carrots are tender, 10–15 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to a blender and puree until smooth, then pour mixture back into saucepan.
• Add curry and turmeric to soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve soup immediately.

Preparation for hearty soup

• Follow the above steps to make the basic roasted pepper soup. Then, add chickpeas and cooked rice and let simmer until all ingredients are hot.
• Remove from heat and add the cucumber slices.
• Serve soup topped with cheese cubes, croutons and fresh fine herbs, to taste.