Jan's Roasted Red Pepper Soup

A cooking-show demonstration about roasting peppers inspired Jan Claire to create this soup, which he serves with crusty French bread.

Yield: Makes about 7 1/2 cups; 4 or 5 servings

Ingredients

• 2  red bell peppers (about 1 lb. total), rinsed
• 1  onion (about 1/2 lb.), peeled and finely chopped
• 1/4  cup  (1/8 lb.) butter or margarine
• 1  cup  grated carrots
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 2  cups  fat-skimmed beef broth
• 2  cups  half-and-half (light cream)
• 1  can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
• About 1/4 teaspoon hot chili flakes
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Rinse the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove and discard stems, seeds, and veins. Lay peppers, cut sides down, in a 10- by 15-inch pan. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until skins are blackened all over, about 12 minutes. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, pull off and discard skins; chop peppers.

2. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over medium-high heat, stir onion in butter until limp, about 3 minutes. Stir in peppers and carrots.

3. Add flour and stir about 1 minute. Add broth, half-and-half, and tomato sauce; stir until mixture boils and is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in chili flakes and salt and pepper to taste.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

311 (61% from fat)

Protein:

8.1g

Fat:

21g (sat 13)

Carbohydrate:

26g

Fiber:

4g

Sodium:

690mg

Cholesterol:

61mg