Ingredients:
6 large sweet peppers of choice
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped carrots (peeled, optional)
½ cup diced celery
4 cups water or stock
3 cups peeled (optional) potatoes, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 bay leaves
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Herbed croutons (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, lightly oil a baking pan. Halve the peppers, remove seeds and veins, and place them cut side down on the baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the skins start to wrinkle and the peppers become a deeper color.
3. While the peppers roast, warm the olive oil in a soup pot and sauté the onions, carrots, and celery for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent, but not browned. Add the water or stock, potatoes, add salt and bay leaves, cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes.
4. When the peppers are roasted, place them in a covered bowl. When they are cool enough to handle, slip off the skins and add the peppers to the soup.
5. When the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaves. In batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth and thick. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Reheat if necessary,
6. Serve topped with grated Parmesan and herbed croutons.
Serves 6-8