If you find yourself stuck in the house trying to stay warm and out of the cold freezing rain that hit Austin recently, this blog may warm you up. Running out of things to do, I realized how fun it would be to try out a new meal. My body was craving something warm, smooth, and something that would not only fill my stomach but also my soul. In a few seconds my mind started thinking about one thing only – a heart-warming bowl of soup! After raiding through my refrigerator, pantry and obtaining just what I had on hand, I decided to make a creamy, vegetable infused red bell pepper soup. The great thing about soup is that it is one of those dishes that can make you feel full yet still healthy. Most importantly, it is a dish that can bring back those intangible memories of childhood. So, it is now your turn Mom or Dad. It is your turn to impart upon your children or friends those wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. Do not panic, read my story below and I will walk you through it all.
I started by sauteing onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in some olive oil. I then added the main ingredient, the beautiful, sweet red bell peppers. Remember folks, with soup there is no need to get caught up in the quantity of ingredients. Make it to your taste. In this case, the soup is about the red bell peppers. The other vegetables take a supporting role to the peppers and are thus used in smaller quantities. Don’t worry if you add too many vegetables to the soup – leftover soup always tastes better and better as the days pass with all the ingredients melding together, creating an explosion of flavors.
After seasoning with salt and pepper, I revisited my refrigerator for more ingredients. I found some left over tomato paste and red wine – awesome! Both the tomato paste and wine gives your soup body thus providing deep flavor. After cooking out most of the wine’s alcohol, just enough water was added so that it covered all the vegetables. If broth or stock is on hand, use it as it will give the soup even more punch. Once peeled, I added a diced potato to smooth out all the flavors and utilize its starch to give my soup a creamy consistency. After simmering for 20 minutes or so and checking for seasoning, I let the soup cool. I then blended it in batches and back into the pot for reheating. This technique gives the soup that velvety look and smooth texture. Finally, to guild the lily and make it creamier and richer, I added some heavy cream to bring it all together.
To say the soup was a success was an understatement. I made enough for eight servings and it was all gone by the next day! More importantly, my hunger, my soul and the nostalgic desire to revisit my childhood were all rewarded. So, grab a nice soup pot, some good vegetables and make an attempt to recreate those memories for your friends, children, and loved one. Trust me; they will thank you for it in many ways…
