Makes 4 appetizer servings
Minted Crème Fraîche:
- 1/4cup crème fraîche
- 11/2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves, plus nice sprigs for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
Soup:
- 5 large red bell peppers
- 21/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- Kosher salt or similar
- 1 tablespoon of panela or firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups water
- Finely ground black pepper
To make Minted Crème Fraîche: In a small bowl stir together the crème fraîche, sliced mint and sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight to let the mint flavor the crème. Strain out the mint; keep crème cold until ready to use.
To make soup: Roast the red peppers over a hot grill or under a broiler on a foil-lined pan about 5 to 6 inches from the heat source. With either method, turn them often until the skin is charred on all sides. Put the charred peppers in a large bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit until cool enough to handle. Pull out the cores and pull off the charred skins; reserve any juices. Pull the peppers into pieces and scrape out the seeds. Do not rinse the peppers or you’ll wash away flavorful juices.
In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the oil over medium, add the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and fragrant but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the roasted peppers and the juices, the brown sugar and the white wine and simmer until the wine has cooked down to a glaze, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the 3 cups water (it should just barely cover the peppers; if not, add a bit more) and simmer until they’re completely tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Purée the soup in a blender and pass it through a medium strainer to get out any stray seeds or lumps. Taste and season well with salt and black pepper.
Serve soup warm or chilled. To serve, ladle the soup into shallow bowls, drizzle on some Minted Crème Fraîche and some olive oil. Decorate with a mint sprig.
To make soup: Roast the red peppers over a hot grill or under a broiler on a foil-lined pan about 5 to 6 inches from the heat source. With either method, turn them often until the skin is charred on all sides. Put the charred peppers in a large bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit until cool enough to handle. Pull out the cores and pull off the charred skins; reserve any juices. Pull the peppers into pieces and scrape out the seeds. Do not rinse the peppers or you’ll wash away flavorful juices.
In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the oil over medium, add the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and fragrant but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the roasted peppers and the juices, the brown sugar and the white wine and simmer until the wine has cooked down to a glaze, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the 3 cups water (it should just barely cover the peppers; if not, add a bit more) and simmer until they’re completely tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Purée the soup in a blender and pass it through a medium strainer to get out any stray seeds or lumps. Taste and season well with salt and black pepper.
Serve soup warm or chilled. To serve, ladle the soup into shallow bowls, drizzle on some Minted Crème Fraîche and some olive oil. Decorate with a mint sprig.
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