Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

This is a nice robust and colorful soup - packs a punch and yet has a great taste - nothing better than roasted red peppers and roasted tomatoes.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 6  large  red peppers (approximately 1 1/2 - 2 lbs)
• 3  lbs tomatoes (plum is preferable)
• 8  cups  chicken stock
• 3  tablespoons garlic (more or less for your taste)
• 1  teaspoon sun-dried tomato paste
• 1  teaspoon dried basil
• 1⁄2 cup white wine
• 1⁄2 cup onion (shallots or red onion finely chopped)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste or omit)
• 1  cup  cream (optional)
• 1  teaspoon salt (adjust to your taste)
• 1  teaspoon pepper (fresh ground adjust to taste)

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Line 1 cookie sheet with tin foil - wash and cut tomatoes in half, arrange cut side down on cookie sheet, drizzle generously with good extra virgin olive oil, course, kosher or sea salt and a touch of ground pepper - bake until tomato peels have split and developed a nice caramelized texture. Approximately 45 - 60 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool, remove tomato skins.
3. While the tomatoes are caramelizing in the oven take your red peppers and blacken them over an open gas flame or in the case you do not have gas this can also be accomplished over an electric element simply by allowing the pepper contact with the heating coil till it blackens, or you could also do this on a gas grill. Place blackened peppers in a brown paper bag and allow to cool - I always make sure I have a plastic bag on the outside as the juices from the peppers will soak through as they cool. Once cooled remove skins, tops, ribs and seeds. Do not wash.
4. In a large soup pot add 1 tbsp olive oil add onions, garlic and sauté till onions appear clear. Add chicken stock, white wine, tomato paste, basil, tomatoes and peppers. Allow to cook for approximately 30 minutes. If you have a hand held blender, puree until a creamy texture is accomplished, or you can do this in a blender a few cups at a time being very careful not to over crowd the blender as the top will pop off with the heat. Return the pureed mixture back to the pot add pepper flakes and reduce over medium heat for 10 minutes - if desired add cream and serve!