Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup and Summer Tomato Soup with Serrano Cream

Here is the last in the Summer Soup Series, soup #5, created and shared with you by my friend, food stylist Cindy Epstein. The Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup and Summer Tomato Soup with Serrano Cream recipe is for those who are feeling a bit adventurous and have a little extra time to spend in the kitchen. This is a great recipe to make on a weekend, and to practice your roasting skills, too. Have fun and enjoy!

Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup and Summer Tomato Soup with Serrano Cream
Adapted by Cindy Epstein from a recipe that appeared in Parade Magazine in 2000
Photographs taken by Carl Kravats

The colors of these soups are magnificent - one, a velvety golden yellow and the other a creamy reddish-orange hue. I’ve heard it called “rainbow soup” when two soups are simultaneously poured into one bowl to create a fabulous two-toned presentation. To create this effect, the two soups must be similar in texture so they don’t blend together. You can serve these soups together in the same bowl to create a two-tone effect, but each of these soups also stands on its own and can be served individually. Roasting the yellow peppers and tomatoes greatly intensifies the vegetables’ flavors because some of the water in the vegetables is baked out in the roasting process leaving more intensely flavorful flesh along with a gentle sweetness caused by the caramelizing of the sugars in the vegetables. These soups are delicious served chilled or warm.

Both of these soups are luscious and flavor-rich, but be warned the preparation is lengthy. When I don’t need to hurry, the earthy roasted flavors are worth every minute of my time. Be prepared to set aside 2 hours for these soups. You won’t be disappointed!

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Yield: About 3 cups of each soup for six 8-ounce servings, or eight 6-ounce first course servings.

For the Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup
1. 1 tablespoon butter
2. 2 tablespoons shallot, finely chopped
3. 6 roasted yellow bell peppers (about 6 cups),
roasting instructions below
4. 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
5. 2 tablespoons dry white wine
6. ¼ cup heavy cream
7. Salt and pepper to taste

For the Roasted Tomato Soup
1. 3 pounds plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
2. 3 unpeeled large roasted garlic cloves
3. 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
4. 1 tablespoon butter
5. 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
6. 2 tablespoons sherry
7. ¼ cup heavy cream
8. Salt and pepper to taste

For the Serrano Cream (garnish):
1. ½ fresh Serrano chili, seeded and finely chopped (wear rubber gloves)
2. 1 unpeeled large roasted garlic clove (Roast with the tomatoes.)
3. ½ teaspoon salt
4. ½ cup crème fraiche or sour cream

Method: To roast peppers:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Broil whole peppers on a sheet pan about 2 inches from the heat source, turning every 5 minutes
for 15 – 25 minutes until the skins are blistered and charred.
3. Transfer to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap allowing them to steam.
4. When cool, peel them starting at the blossom end, cut off tops, and discard seeds and ribs, and cut
peppers into one-inch strips.

Method: To make the pepper soup:
1. In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over moderately low heat.
2. Add shallots and stir until shallots are soft.
3. Add the roasted pepper strips, 1 ½ cups chicken broth, and wine. Cover and simmer for 12 – 15
minutes, or until the peppers are very soft.
4. In a blender puree the soup in batches until very smooth and creamy. Note: Hot liquids in a
blender will expand and send up a lot of steam, so use caution when blending a hot mixture.
5. Force through a fine sieve set over the empty saucepan. Whisk in cream and salt and pepper to
taste.
6. Pour into a bowl or pitcher and chill for at least 3 hours. Can be prepared up to 2 days before
serving.

Method: To roast tomatoes:
1. Preheat oven to 350O
2. Spread the tomatoes, skin side down, in one layer onto 2 sheet pans. Add the garlic for the tomato
soup and the garlic for the Serrano cream and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the tomatoes
are very soft and their skin has turned golden brown.
3. Cool pans on rack until they are easily handled.
4. Discard tomato skins and garlic skins. Set aside 1 clove of garlic for the Serrano cream.

Method: To make the tomato soup:
1. In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over moderately low heat.
2. Add shallots and stir until shallots are soft.
3. Add roasted tomatoes and garlic in a blender, mix together the to saucepan with 1 ½ cups chicken
broth, and sherry. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. In a blender puree the soup in batches until very smooth and creamy. Note: Hot liquids in a
blender will expand and send up a lot of steam, so use caution when blending a hot mixture.
5. Force through a fine sieve set over the empty saucepan. Whisk in cream and salt and pepper to
taste.
6. Pour into a bowl or pitcher and chill for at least 3 hours. Can be prepared up to 2 days before
serving.

Both soups should have the same consistency.

Method: To make the Serrano cream:
1. In a blender mix all ingredients until well combined and
smooth. Be careful not to over blend as the cream could
curdle.
2. Force through a fine sieve set over a small bowl to remove
chunks of pepper.
3. Chill for at least 3 hours. Can be prepared up to 2 days before
serving.

To serve the soup:
Ladle ½ cup of each soup into 2 measuring cups with lips for easy
pouring. Pour the soups simultaneously into a shallow soup bowl from
opposite sides of the bowl and drizzle Serrano cream over each
serving. Each soup can also be served individually. These soups are
also wonderful served warm, together or alone.

Article, recipes, and food styling by Cindy Epstein