Chilled Roasted Pepper-Mango Soup

If fresh, ripe mangoes aren't available, look for refrigerated mango slices in your grocer's produce section.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3  large yellow bell peppers, seeded and quartered
• 2  large mangoes, peeled and cut into chunks (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1  cup  mango nectar
• 1/2  cup  vegetable broth
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lime juice
• 1  tablespoon  grated fresh ginger
• 1  to 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 2  tablespoons  rice vinegar
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• Sour cream
• Garnish: Fresh mint

Preparation

Place bell peppers on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 5 inches from heat 15 minutes or until blistered. Place bell peppers in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and let stand 10 minutes to loosen skins. Peel peppers, discarding skins.

Process peppers and mango in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add mango nectar and next 6 ingredients; process until smooth*. Cover and chill mixture 2 hours. Top with sour cream, and garnish with fresh mint, if desired.

*Note: If desired, press mango mixture through a wire-mesh strainer, using back of a spoon to squeeze out liquid. Discard pulp and solids. Straining and discarding solids yields less volume but makes a very smooth soup.