Roasted Red Pepper Soup

By Hklbrries

Perfect for holiday dinners. In this recipe… the versatile bell is roasted to enhance the natural sweetness of the pepper, then pureed to a smooth, velvety texture. Cooked rice is pureed with the peppers to provide body and thickening. Onions and garlic, cooked to sweetness in a minimum of butter, round out the flavors. The result is a smooth, rich-tasting soup that has just 3 grams of fat per serving. It is elegant and easy to prepare, so it can make an ideal first course for a holiday dinner.

One word of caution when heating the soup: Do not allow it to boil, or the milk will curdle!

Ingredients

• 3 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
• 1/2 cup cooked moist rice, lightly packed
• 1 yellow onion (about 1 1/2 cups), chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed through a press
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp white pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can fat-free, low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup milk, 2% lowfat
• 1/4 cup minced fresh herbs, such as basil or sage, for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

Under a broiler or over a gas flame, roast peppers until blackened on all sides. Place in a paper bag and let cool; remove peel and seeds.

Place the peppers (including any juice that accumulates) and the rice in the container of a food processor or blender. Puree until fine.

In a medium-size saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic. Saute 10 to 12 minutes over low heat until lightly golden; regulate heat to prevent burning.

Stir in the sugar, salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Add the onion mixture to the red pepper mixture and puree again. With the motor running, pour in the vegetable broth. Stir in the milk.

Transfer to a saucepan or microwave-safe dish and heat until steaming; do not boil. Serve hot, garnished with about 1 tbsp of minced fresh herbs.