Slow Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup with Sweet Corn

Posted by Lynda Balslev

The end of summer delivers bushels of vegetables, namely sweet peppers, corn, and tomatoes to my kitchen. At the same time, the wisp of fall in the air brings a craving for healthy and comforting soups layered with flavor, perfumed with smoke and char. This soup has a little of all of that. I roasted peppers and tomatoes in the oven, slowly to coax out their flavor and natural sweetness, then blitzed them with stock and aromatics. For a vegetarian version, substitute veggie stock or water for the chicken stock, and adjust seasonings accordingly. And don’t be shy about using the grill for slow roasting if you wish to keep the heat out of the kitchen. Simply grill the veggies in a grill pan over indirect high heat to achieve the same slow roasted results.

Slow Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup with Sweet Corn

For a winter shortcut, one [16-ounce] can Italian plum tomatoes with juice may be substituted for the plum tomatoes; again, be sure to taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Serves 4.

6 ripe medium plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 large red bell peppers, seeded, quartered lengthwise
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
2 to 3 cups chicken stock
Corn kernels from 1 ear of corn, 1/4 cup reserved as garnish
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Heat the oven to 450°F. Arrange the tomatoes and peppers, cut-sides down in an oiled baking dish. Roast until the vegetables are softened and slightly charred, about 30 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover. Let cool 15 minutes, then peel away the skin and coarsely chop. Peel the skin away from the tomatoes and coarsely chop.

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent without coloring, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, peppers, cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups stock. There should be enough to cover the vegetables. If not, add more as needed. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, partially covered, 15 minutes.

Carefully transfer soup to a food processor (or use an immersion blender). Puree the soup until smooth and return to the pot. Stir in the corn and simmer 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls. Serve garnished with the reserved 1/4 cup corn and cilantro.