the promised recipe

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

This may seem like a lot of work for one little soup, but generally I do the chicken stock up and have it at the ready, and the red peppers just taste better when they aren't from a jar.  I bet you'll notice a bit taste difference too, if you try it both ways.

• 3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/2 white onion, roughtly chopped
• 1/4 tsp of each, ground with morter and pestle : rosemary, basil, thyme
• fresh ground pepper - to taste
• 3/4 tsp salt - at minumum
• 3/4 tsp paprika (Hungarian is a great choice)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne (seriously, I've done more and lived to regret it)
• 1/2 L chicken stock (homemade is best, of course)
• 1/2 L cream (go all out with whipping cream, or watch your fat and choose a lesser cream)
• truth be told, I am lax when it comes to measuring the liquid.  I eyeball it and see how it goes.
• 2 Tbsp corn starch
• 6 roasted red peppers, cut in 1" pieces (home roasted is best, but storebought are also OK)
• bit of butter (salted)

1. Roast the peppers, and (of course) remove the skins
2. Saute the aromatics in butter (that's the onion and garlic) for a few minutes until the onion is translucent
3. Add all of the rest of the ingredients (but not the corn starch), holding back on some the salt and the cayenne
4. Blend the living heck out of it, add the corn starch, and then blend it some more
5. Bring to a slight boil, and then immediately reduce to a rolling simmer
6. Taste for the salt and heat content, add more if desired, keeping in mind cayenne is something you can't take back out of a dish!
7. Let it sit there simmering whilst you drink some wine, for about an hour

To roast your own peppers - stolen from ehow.com, because there are a variety of ways to do this

• Cut the peppers in half using a sharp kitchen knife. Place the pepper halves down onto a sheet of waxed or parchment paper, or any place where they can be coated in oil without creating a mess.
• Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a small mixing bowl. Dip a basting brush in the oil and then brush onto the top of the peppers. Turn them over and coat the other side with oil. Use more oil as necessary to coat all the peppers.
•  Place on oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Arrange the oiled pepper halves on a large baking sheet, and place onto the oven rack. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally with metal tongs, until the skin is charred and blackened.
•  Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and carefully transfer the peppers to a brown paper bag. Fold the top of the bag closed and allow the peppers to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. The charred skin will loosen as the peppers cool.
• Remove the roasted peppers from the bag and place them onto a clean cutting board. Use a paring knife to remove the charred skins, stems, and any seeds from the peppers. Slice into ¼-inch pieces and use in recipes, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week until ready to use.

To make your own chicken stock - also stolen from ehow.com, because there are a variety of ways to do this

•2 large yellow onions - chopped

•1 1/2 tsp. salt
•2 bay leaves
•1 3 1/2 to 4 lb. chicken - cut into quarters if it won't fit in your stockpot
•1 c. dry white wines
•3 stalks celery with leaves- roughly chopped
•10 sprigs fresh parsleys
•5 sprigs fresh dills
•3 carrots - roughly chopped
•6 peppercorns
•1 tbsp. vegetable oils
•1 3 1/2 to 4 lb. chicken - cut into quarters if it won't fit in your stockpot
•1 tbsp. vegetable oils

1. Warm the oil in a large saucepan over high heat.
2. Brown the vegetables for a few minutes, until the get golden in places.
3. Add the wine, 2 1/2 quarts water, chicken, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, parsley and dill and bring to a simmer. Skim any foam from the surface.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for two hours.
5. Remove the chicken.
6. Strain the stock into a bowl and throw away the remaining solids. Taste the stock. If it seems too "light," bring it to a boil and reduce it (let it boil and evaporate) until it tastes strong enough for you.
7. Refrigerate stock in an airtight container.
8. Lift fat off surface of stock when ready to use.

Now all you need is a nice baguette, some good wine, and a few good friends to share it with!