Yellow-and-Orange Pepper Soup with Red-Chile Purée

By Lv2Cook

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups diced orange bell pepper
• 2 cups diced yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced carrot
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 3 cups diced peeled baking potato (about 1 pound)
• 3 cups water divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth
• 1 large ancho chile (about 1/4 ounce)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, onion, carrot, and garlic; sauté 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add potato, 2 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Place half of bell pepper mixture in a blender, and process until smooth. Pour purée bell pepper mixture into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining bell pepper mixture; keep warm.

Remove stem and seeds from chile.

Tear chile into large pieces; place in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, turning pieces occasionally (be careful not to burn chile). Add 1 cup water; bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 5 minutes or until soft. Remove chile from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving 2 tablespoons cooking liquid. Discard remaining cooking liquid. Combine chile, 2 tablespoons cooking liquid, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a blender; process until smooth. Ladle soup into each of 7 bowls; top with chile purée and garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Serving Size: 1 cup soup and 1 1/2 teaspoons purée