Summer is over in Leipzig. It may be the beginning September, but after several weeks of cool, cloudy weather, I finally feel comfortable admitting that fall is here. I’ve always tried to cook seasonally, and fall-themed recipes are my favorite. This soup is a perfect transitional recipe. It makes use of late summer vegetables, but is hearty and warm. I made a big batch last week and have been topping it with left over roasted sweet potatoes and fennel for a filling post-run lunch.
I used this recipe from ‘Closet Cooking’ with some modifications.
Ingredients
4 red bell peppers
1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 red onion, chopped
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups water or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to taste
salt and pepper to taste
4 oz feta, crumbled, plus extra for serving
Instructions
1. Preheat your broiler. Place whole red peppers on a baking sheet and broil for 10 minutes or until outsides are blistered. Place into a paper bag and seal (or an airtight container). Allow the peppers to steam for 20 or 30 minutes, then remove skin, cut in half to remove seeds, and roughly chop.
2. While peppers are steaming, toss cauliflower florets with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until soft.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot, add onions and saute for 5 minutes, until transluscent. Add garlic, red pepper/cayenne pepper, and thyme and cook for one minute.
4. Add red peppers, cauliflower, and goat cheese to the pot. Add water or stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Using an immersion blender, puree to desired consistency. Alternatively, transfer soup in batches to a blender and puree.
6. Season with salt and pepper. If you use water instead of stock, you may need to add a fair amount of salt.
7. Serve with additional crumbled feta, or garnish with bacon. My favorite topping for this soup is roasted fennel and sweet potatoes with bacon and feta.
Makes 4 very large servings.
run.explore 