Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

This is my favorite soup. It's a nice balance of sweet and savory, and it freezed beautifully. I like it with grilled cheese. (I hate to specify a brand name / hard to find ingredient, but I haven't found a good substitute for Thai Kitchen's roasted red chili paste.) [This is adapted from The Naked Chef (Jamie Oliver).]

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3  red peppers
• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1  tablespoon  roasted  red chili paste
• 1  garlic clove
• 3 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 2  tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2  cups  chicken stock
•  salt

Directions

1. Broil the red peppers, turning them so they blacken on all sides. Once they’re black, put them in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and leave them until they’re cool enough to handle (about 30 minutes). Peel, seed, and roughly chop them.
2. Warm the olive oil in a thick-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the peppers, chili paste, and a pinch of salt, stir to combine, and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Finely chop the garlic, add to the pot, and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Drain the tomatoes, and add to the pot with the red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes.
5. Add the chicken stock. Puree with a stick blender until smooth, and simmer for 15 more minutes.