The PERFECT Sweet Red Pepper Soup For The Win!
Bowl of fresh sweet red pepper soup really hits the spot on a cold day!
Making a fresh, homemade stock is easy and really makes a huge difference in having a soup taste fresh and flavorful. I’ll show how I make a clean vegetable stock, chicken stock is also nice in this soup. I feel that vegetable stock works best for this recipe however.
Ingredients:
For the soup:
6 red bell pepper
1 onion
3 small carrots
3 cloves garlic
1 fennel bulb
4-5 c Vegetable stock
1 lime, zested (save for juicing later)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp cumin
For the homemade vegetable stock:
3 yellow sweet onions
5 small carrots
1 head celery
Small handful black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
4 cloves
1 gallon water
2 stems worth rosemary and sage, leaves removed - stems are for the stock
For the savory whipped cream:
1/2 c Heavy cream whipped
1 tbsp lime juice
1 oz gorganzola
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Tools needed:
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Cutting board
Large stock pot for the stock
Dutch oven or other type of medium size pot for the soup
Strainer
Measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Blender
Large mixing bowl
Fine mesh strainer
How to make it:
First, let’s make the stock. Start by cutting the onion in hale, removing the paper layer and rough chopping the onion. Cut around the root end and set aside for compost or discard. Add the onion to the stock pot.
Cut the root ends off the garlic, remove paper layer and add the cloves to the pot.
Cut ends off carrots and rough chop. Peeling the carrots is optional. Place in the pot.
Wash celery amd cut root end off celery and bitter greens. Rough chop and place in the pot.
Add herb stems
Fill the stock pot about 3/4 of the way full with water. I use about 1 gallon for the pot size I have. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to keep it just under a simmer. Keep on heat for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. No more than 2 hours as the ingredients will start to break down too much and make the stock cloudy and can give it a bitter taste.
Strain the stock and set aside for the soup. Discard the solids in compost bin or trash.
For the soup:
Give the onion and garlic a small dice. Place the onions and garlic in separate bowls.
Rough chop the rosemary and sage leaves. Place into a small bowl.
Rough chop the red bell pepper. I stand it upright and cut the peppers into sections going around seeds and placenta. Slice sections into 1/2 inch thick slices and rough chop. Add to a large mixing bowl.
Cut the greens off the fennel. Much like cutting an onion, slice horizontal almost to the root end and then vertically 3 or 4 times. Rough chop and place into the bowl with the peppers.
Cut the leafy end off carrots and rough chop. Peeling is optional. Place into the bowl with the fennel and peppers.
Heat your Dutch oven or stock pot over medium low heat for 2 minutes. Add oil, onion and pinch salt. Sweat the onions for a few minutes until the trunk translucent and start to slightly caramelize. Stir occasionally.
Add the garlic, pinch salt and pinch chopped herbs. Sweat garlic for a minute or two to cook rawness off. Stir occasionally.
Add enough stock to barely cover the ingredients.
Add the peppers, carrots and fennel. Cover with vegetable stock. The liquid level should be even or just over the ingredients. Bring liquid to a boil and reduce heat to medium low to keep on a simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, the ingredients are to be very soft.
Let’s make the savory whipped cream:
While the soup is simmering, make the gorgonzola whipped cream. In a small bowl, add the cream and whisk with a wire whisk until stiff peaks form. Add the lime juice, salt, pepper and fold in the crumbles gorgonzola. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
When the ingredients in the soup are fully cooked, use and immersion blender or high powered blender to puree the soup. Straining the soup is optional.
Serve in your favorite bowl with a dollop of the savory whipped cream.
Enjoy!
Logan
