Winter is upon us. The days are cold. Something bright and cheery, yet creamy, warm, and spicy sounds just right for dinner. Crisp red bell peppers are a staple at our house all year long, but in the winter I transform them into a creamy, flavorful soup that is perfect for everyone because it is free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, peanuts, nuts, fish, and shellfish.
Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup is perfect for cold winter nights.
Of course, if you want to add some protein, you could top the soup with cooked shrimp or crab. Or, to keep it in the vegetarian-vegan family, some cubed tofu would work nicely. If your diet permits, swirl in some basil pesto just before serving for a generous dose of added flavor as well as appealing green color.
This soup is especially pretty served in little coffee or espresso cups as an appetizer, but if it is your main course, regular soup bowls work just fine. A final note about the roasted red bell peppers: you can always roast them yourself, but the peeling and hassle can be avoided by simply buying them in a jar. They taste the same and, for a few extra bucks, they save you considerable time! Enjoy!
ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER SOUP
By Carol Fenster
Of course, you can roast your own red bell peppers or buy them in a jar—they taste the same. This colorful soup is especially pretty served in espresso cups as appetizers or a first course for a dinner party.
½ cup chopped roasted red bell peppers, packed
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon sugar
3 cups gluten-free low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
¾ cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon grated orange zest
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons sweet rice flour (or 1 tablespoon potato starch) stirred into ¼ cup cold water until smooth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
[1] Place all the ingredients except the sweet rice flour, and basil in a blender and puree until very smooth. Transfer to a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
[2] Raise the heat to medium, stir in the sweet rice flour mixture and continue to cook until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.
[3] Divide the soup among 4 soup bowls. Serve, garnished with a sprinkle of parsley or basil.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 100 calories; 9 g protein; 5 g total fat; 1 g fiber; 12 g carbohydrates; 0 mg cholesterol; 166 mg sodium
