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Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup
By Charlie Burke
Click here for printer friendly version of this recipe
Yellow, red and orange peppers are now plentiful at farm stands and farmers
markets. We tend to forget that green peppers are not ripe and have become
accustomed to their sharp and somewhat harsh flavor. It takes many weeks for
peppers to reach maturity and full color, so most are picked green to meet
market demand, and, because of their long time in the field, ripe peppers are
more expensive to harvest, requiring growers to charge more for them. The
reward, however, is that fresh, locally grown ripe peppers have stored sugars
and complex flavors which intensify when they are cooked in contrast to green
peppers which can be bitter.
Similar to tomatoes, the difference between locally grown peppers and
supermarket varieties results from the farmers’ choosing taste over shelf life
and size, and a pepper you buy from your local farmer was probably in the
field yesterday. Their complex flavors are at their peak from now until the end
of the growing season.
My wife, Joanne, roasted six plump yellow peppers this week. They were done
in a glass baking dish, and the juice exuded was sweet and full of flavor, as
were the peppers, themselves. I often put a batch of roasted peppers in olive
oil and use them in salads or as sides with grilled fish or meat, but decided to
make a simple soup with these.
I pureed them with their juice in a blender and decided after tasting them that
little needed be added, so intense was the flavor. When making soup from
really fresh vegetables such as these peppers, I’ve found that using chicken
broth or stock results in dulling the flavor so I use water for thinning.
The sweetness of sautéed shallots complemented that of the peppers, as did a
small chopped carrot and a single clove of our garlic. A pinch of ground
cumin, added to the olive oil in the sauté, was the only spice, other than
ground pepper and a little cayenne, so this soup is all about the sweet, rich
flavor of the pepper. I infused a small volume of canola oil with some
homemade curry powder and drizzled a few drops over the surface. If you
enjoy curry, give it a try, otherwise it certainly can be omitted. This soup can be
served either warm or cold.
Four cups:
6 yellow peppers
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small carrot thinly sliced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for baking dish
1 pinch ground cumin
1 pinch cayenne
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Approximately1 ½ cups water
2 teaspoons lemon juice or wine vinegar
Curry oil (optional):
1 ½ tablespoons curry powder
¼ cup canola oil
Lightly oil a shallow baking dish large enough to hold peppers without
crowding. Roast in a preheated 400 degree oven until the skins are lightly
charred and the peppers are soft, approximately 1 hour. Cover the baking dish
with foil and let the peppers cool. Remove the skins, seeds and white parts of
the peppers. Place the peppers and juice into a blender and process until
smooth.
In a sauté pan, heat the ¼ cup of olive oil over low to medium heat and add the
shallots, carrot and garlic, along with the cumin and cayenne. Sprinkle a
teaspoon of salt over the vegetables and cook, stirring until they are soft but
not browned. Scrape the oil and vegetables into the blender, processing for 1
minute. Pour the mixture into a bowl and thin with water to desired
consistency – it should be quite thick. Mix in several grinds of pepper and add
salt to taste. Add lemon juice or vinegar in small increments, tasting, until the
flavor “brightens” and there is slight acidity. Refrigerate the soup and serve in
chilled bowls or gently heat to serving temperature if serving warm.
If serving with the oil, heat ¼ cup of canola oil over low heat in a small sauce
pan. Add the curry powder and “steep” the powder for 10 minutes over very
low heat. Strain the oil through a paper towel lined strainer. Drizzle the oil
lightly over the surface when serving
This soup is a perfect light first course or, in larger portions, a healthy lunch.
We happened to have yellow peppers, but the same recipe will work for
orange or red peppers, with the red peppers having a slightly more intense
flavor. Do try to find high quality fresh, locally grown peppers and see the
difference they make in this and any recipe.
About the author:
An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice president of
the New Hampshire Farmer'sMarket Association, president of the NH Farm to
Restaurant Connection and helps run the Sanbornton (NH) Farmers' Market.
Along with his wife, Joanne, Charlie grows certified organic herbs, greens and
berries at Weather Hill Farm in Sanbornton, NH.
By Charlie Burke
Click here for printer friendly version of this recipe
Yellow, red and orange peppers are now plentiful at farm stands and farmers
markets. We tend to forget that green peppers are not ripe and have become
accustomed to their sharp and somewhat harsh flavor. It takes many weeks for
peppers to reach maturity and full color, so most are picked green to meet
market demand, and, because of their long time in the field, ripe peppers are
more expensive to harvest, requiring growers to charge more for them. The
reward, however, is that fresh, locally grown ripe peppers have stored sugars
and complex flavors which intensify when they are cooked in contrast to green
peppers which can be bitter.
Similar to tomatoes, the difference between locally grown peppers and
supermarket varieties results from the farmers’ choosing taste over shelf life
and size, and a pepper you buy from your local farmer was probably in the
field yesterday. Their complex flavors are at their peak from now until the end
of the growing season.
My wife, Joanne, roasted six plump yellow peppers this week. They were done
in a glass baking dish, and the juice exuded was sweet and full of flavor, as
were the peppers, themselves. I often put a batch of roasted peppers in olive
oil and use them in salads or as sides with grilled fish or meat, but decided to
make a simple soup with these.
I pureed them with their juice in a blender and decided after tasting them that
little needed be added, so intense was the flavor. When making soup from
really fresh vegetables such as these peppers, I’ve found that using chicken
broth or stock results in dulling the flavor so I use water for thinning.
The sweetness of sautéed shallots complemented that of the peppers, as did a
small chopped carrot and a single clove of our garlic. A pinch of ground
cumin, added to the olive oil in the sauté, was the only spice, other than
ground pepper and a little cayenne, so this soup is all about the sweet, rich
flavor of the pepper. I infused a small volume of canola oil with some
homemade curry powder and drizzled a few drops over the surface. If you
enjoy curry, give it a try, otherwise it certainly can be omitted. This soup can be
served either warm or cold.
Four cups:
6 yellow peppers
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small carrot thinly sliced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for baking dish
1 pinch ground cumin
1 pinch cayenne
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Approximately1 ½ cups water
2 teaspoons lemon juice or wine vinegar
Curry oil (optional):
1 ½ tablespoons curry powder
¼ cup canola oil
Lightly oil a shallow baking dish large enough to hold peppers without
crowding. Roast in a preheated 400 degree oven until the skins are lightly
charred and the peppers are soft, approximately 1 hour. Cover the baking dish
with foil and let the peppers cool. Remove the skins, seeds and white parts of
the peppers. Place the peppers and juice into a blender and process until
smooth.
In a sauté pan, heat the ¼ cup of olive oil over low to medium heat and add the
shallots, carrot and garlic, along with the cumin and cayenne. Sprinkle a
teaspoon of salt over the vegetables and cook, stirring until they are soft but
not browned. Scrape the oil and vegetables into the blender, processing for 1
minute. Pour the mixture into a bowl and thin with water to desired
consistency – it should be quite thick. Mix in several grinds of pepper and add
salt to taste. Add lemon juice or vinegar in small increments, tasting, until the
flavor “brightens” and there is slight acidity. Refrigerate the soup and serve in
chilled bowls or gently heat to serving temperature if serving warm.
If serving with the oil, heat ¼ cup of canola oil over low heat in a small sauce
pan. Add the curry powder and “steep” the powder for 10 minutes over very
low heat. Strain the oil through a paper towel lined strainer. Drizzle the oil
lightly over the surface when serving
This soup is a perfect light first course or, in larger portions, a healthy lunch.
We happened to have yellow peppers, but the same recipe will work for
orange or red peppers, with the red peppers having a slightly more intense
flavor. Do try to find high quality fresh, locally grown peppers and see the
difference they make in this and any recipe.
About the author:
An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice president of
the New Hampshire Farmer'sMarket Association, president of the NH Farm to
Restaurant Connection and helps run the Sanbornton (NH) Farmers' Market.
Along with his wife, Joanne, Charlie grows certified organic herbs, greens and
berries at Weather Hill Farm in Sanbornton, NH.
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