Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Feta, Corn and Cilantro Oil
Smoky roasted red peppers, garlic, onion and tomatoes are highlighted here with some fresh corn, crumbled feta and cilantro oil. An easy soup that is perfect for company and good served either hot or cold. The chicken stock may be substituted with veggies stock for a vegetarian version.
Ingredients
Soup
- 5 large Red Bell Peppers, cut in half, cores seeds and ribs removed
- 8 whole roma tomatoes, halved
- 1 large onion, peeled and quartered (reserve 1 quarter and chop that quarter finely)
- 8 large garlic cloves, in their skins
- olive oil
- to taste salt and pepper
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 1/2-3 cups chicken stock can substitute veggie stock
- 2 ears corn, husked and kernels cut from cob
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Cilantro Oil
- 1 small bunch cilantro
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- splash sherry vinegar
- to taste salt and pepper
Instructions
Cilantro Oil
- Chop up your cilantro and simmer for a few minutes in 1/2 cup of olive oil. Turn off the heat, add a splash of sherry vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Let sit while you prepare everything else to infuse.
Soup
- Heat your oven to 425F
- Toss your peppers, tomatoes, onions (reserve 1 quarter of the onion)and garlic(with skins on) with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place on a baking tray skin side up and roast for about 45-60 minutes. Your shallots and garlic may finish sooner so check them half way through and remove earlier if done.
- Remove from the oven once charred and carefully peel the skin from the peppers and tomatoes. Put these into a large pot along with the onions. Squeeze the garlic from their skins and add this in too.
- Add in your chicken stock and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
- While this is working heat up a small skillet. Add your diced reserved onion and cook for a few minutes or so until starting to colour. Add in your corn, thyme and salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes then add in your butter. Turn off the heat and transfer to a bowl.
- Puree your soup in batches with a blender or using an immersion blender. Thin out as needed with a bit more chicken stock. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- To serve place a heaping pile of corn in the centre of a bowl and pour your hot soup in. Top with crumbled feta and drizzle with cilantro oil. Serve immediately.