I am going to make red pepper soup!

The declaration cut through my reverie like a knife as I dreamily strolled through the aromatic, vibrant farmer’s market stalls on a crisp October morning. What a great idea! I thought to myself as I wondered if someone in the skies was giving me a not-so-subtle hint. I looked up to see a determined woman in her late 60s, cropped, salt-and-pepper hair and a checkered shirt zero in on a big pile of the most beautiful red peppers, shades of persimmon and crimson, vermillion, and scarlet, some with patches of yellow and green mixed in. She was followed by a softer-spoken woman and a man, both about the same age and appearance. They oohed and aahed and followed slightly, respectfully behind. I pretended to be very interested in the piles of lettuces till she examined and carefully picked her peppers and the group moved on. I took her spot and followed suit on her very delicious idea. This recipe is dedicated to the Red Pepper Soup angel.

Ingredients:

• 3 red bell peppers, peeled and roughly cut up*
• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped up**
• 3 hot peppers, cored and sliced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 lemon, juiced
• broth, 1 container (I used Hearth broth. To keep vegan, use a good quality vegetable or seaweed broth)
• Olive oil
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• paprika, to taste
• parmesan cheese (optional, eliminate if vegan)

* I love roasting peppers and eggplant on the stovetop and then peeling the skin once cooled. It gives the most delicious smoked flavor to these mild vegetables. I did the same here to the peppers till they developed a nice char. Then let them cool in a dish and peeled them under cool water to wash off the skin. Pat dry, remove the core, and then slice them.

** To peel the tomatoes, bring a pot of water to boil. Prick the skin with a knife and dunk them into the water and remove in 30 seconds. The skin should peel off easily once removed and cooled.

Recipe:

• In a heavy pan, heat olive oil and add the onions, and saute till transparent.
• Add the garlic and also saute for a minute or two.
• Add the peppers, tomatoes, rosemary, and spices.
• Stir for a couple of minutes till it gets fragrant.
• Add the broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and once cooled, remove the rosemary stalk and puree in a blender (I use a handheld blender directly in the pot).
• Add lemon juice, taste to adjust seasonings if needed. Top with lots of grated parmesan cheese if using.
• Enjoy with toasted, crusty sourdough bread!