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Soup duo:
Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup & Roasted Tomato
Soup with Serrano Cream
Serves: 6
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| Soup duo: Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup & Roasted Tomato Soup with Serrano Cream |
It is hard to believe...but this is my 100th post! It has been great fun and a constant challenge to come up with interesting and tasty delights. But for my centennial recipe, I wanted to do something special....a soup recipe that will amaze your guests and family!
I will not try to convince you that this “soup
duo” is a mid week meal. But for that special time, that special dinner – this
is one that will knock their socks off. Truly, it is a showstopper. Neither
soup is difficult or time consuming alone, but you have to make two. Serve it
with simpler entrée – like steak or fish, so you will have time for this sensation.
The most important aspect is getting the consistency of both soups to be the
same so when you simultaneously pour them into a bowl they remain separate. My
friend Susan provided this amazing recipe several years ago…I have made dozens
of times since to consistently rave reviews. It is not difficult but given that
you make two distinct soups – it does take some time. Gratefully, both can
easily be done well in advance.
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| To decrease the suspense....here is how to pour the two soups into the bowl |
For the pepper soup:
- 3
Tb finely chopped shallots
- ½
tsp dried thyme, crumbled
- 1
Tb unsalted butter
- 6
yellow peppers, roasted and coarsely chopped (about 6 C.)
- 1½
C low salt chicken or veggie broth plus additional to thin soup if necessary
- ¼
C heavy cream
- Fresh
lemon juice to taste
- Salt
& pepper
For the tomato soup:
- 3 lbs.
plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
- 3
unpeeled large garlic cloves
- 3
Tb finely chopped shallots
- ½
tsp dried oregano, crumbled
- 1
Tb unsalted butter
- 1½
C low salt chicken or veggie broth plus additional to thin soup if necessary
- ¼
C heavy cream
- Fresh
lemon juice to taste
- Salt
& pepper
For the Serrano cream:
- 3-4
fresh Serrano chilies or jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
- 1
large garlic clove, minced & mashed to a paste with 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½
C crème fraiche or sour cream
Make the pepper soup: To roast the peppers, use a long handled fork and char peppers over an open
flame until skins are blackened on all sides. Putting them under a broiler will
achieve the same result and can be easier unless you have a very hot flame. The goal here is near total carbonization of the
exterior. As it heats, the liquid just under the surface converts to steam,
forcing the skin outwards and away from the flesh. This small area of air and
water vapor just under the skin insulates the flesh underneath, preventing it
from burning.
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| Roasting the peppers. They should be almost totally black when done |
After the peppers are completely blackened, transfer
to a bowl, cover with saran 10-15 minutes. The loosened peel slips right off,
leaving the flesh clean and un-charred, but infused with deep smoky flavor from
the blackened skin. Avoid using water to remove the peel, as it will dilute the
wonderful flavor of the roasted pepper. Seed and coarsely chop the peppers.
 |
| The charred skin should just fall off |
In a heavy saucepan cook the shallots, thyme, salt and pepper to taste in the butter over moderately low heat,
stirring, until shallots are soft but not browned. Add the coarse chopped
peppers and broth and simmer the mixture, covered, for 12-15 minutes, or until
the peppers are very soft.
 |
| Juicy, roasted peppers ready for making a puree |
In a blender
puree the soup in batches until it is smooth, forcing it as it is pureed
through a fine sieve set over a pan. Alternatively, one could use a food mill
as I have done and bypass the sieve part.
 |
| Food mill. See below for a pic of how it works |
Food mills were
popular with our grandmothers but were pushed aside as electric food processors
and blenders appeared on the scene. Yet neither of those fancy contraptions can
perform quite like a food mill, which is a cross between a food processor and a
sieve. You turn the handle and an angled blade presses the contents of the mill
through a perforated disk, keeping any pesky remnants like seeds or skin safely
out of your puree. Unlike a food processor or blender, however, a food mill
does not incorporate air into the puree, thereby altering its texture. The
result is a denser puree. Once done, whisk in the cream, lemon juice and salt
and pepper to taste.
 |
| The Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup |
Make the tomato
soup: Spread the tomatoes,
skin side down, in one layer in 2 foil-lined jelly roll pans, add the garlic to one of the pans, and bake the
tomatoes and garlic in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 45 min to 1 hour, or
until tomatoes are very soft and their skin is brown. Let the tomatoes and
garlic cool.
 |
| Spread the tomatoes skin side down |
 |
| Roasted tomatoes |
In a heavy saucepan, cook the shallots
and oregano in the butter over
moderately low heat, stirring, until shallots are soft but not browned. Add the
tomatoes, garlic (skins discarded), and broth and simmer the mixture, covered
for 15 minutes. Proceed as above for pepper soup using a blender and sieve or
food mill.
 |
| Food mill at work. Note husband dutifully turning the crank. |
Once done, whisk in cream and
lemon juice, and the salt and pepper to taste. Both soups should have the
same consistency. Add additional broth to achieve that. Both soups can be made
one day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated before serving.
 |
| The Roasted Tomato Soup |
Make the Serrano
cream: In a blender, blend together the chilies, the garlic paste
and the crème fraiche until the
mixture is combined well. Be careful to not over blend or the cream may curdle.
Force the mixture through a fine sieve set over a bowl. The Serrano cream may be made one day in
advance, kept covered and chilled, and brought to room temperature before
serving.
 |
| Removing seeds from the chili |
To serve the soup:
For each serving, ladle ½ C of each soup into 2 glass measuring cups, pour the
soups simultaneously into a shallow soup bowl from opposite sides of the bowl,
and drizzle some of the Serrano cream over each serving. Feel free to get
decorative in the addition of the Serrano cream….we served this last on St.
Patrick’s Day…hence the picture. Many thanks to Kerri for her help in these
pics.
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| Kerri adding a St. Pattie's Serrano cream sauce |
Plan
ahead – remember to make an easy entrée – and make the soups the day
before…then this is very doable and will make quite the impression at your next
dinner party. You will love the vibrant flavors of the peppers, tomatoes with a
hint of heat from the chilies. It’s an amazing taste combo worthy of the
gorgeous presentation.
Bon
Appetit
Larue
