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RED PEPPER SOUP WITH BASIL CHIFFONADE

50 Simple Soups for the Slow Cooker
by Lynn Alley

This is a luscious, bright red soup, but to fully realize the bell pepper flavor, I recommend serving it the day after you make it. I find the bell pepper flavor is quite faint when the soup is freshly made (one neighbor couldn't even detect the bell pepper flavor), but after it stands overnight, the flavor ripens and the soup blossoms. Serve it hot or cold, topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of basil chiffonade.
Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 large red bell peppers, seeded, and thickly sliced or chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
• 5 cups water
• 1 cup half-and-half
• Salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

DIRECTIONS

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat and saute the onion for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Do not let the garlic brown.

Transfer the mixture to a 7-quart slow cooker and add the bay leaf, bell peppers, carrots, and tomato. Cover and cook on LOW for about 4 hours, or until the peppers and carrots are tender.

Add the water, then using a handheld blender, puree the contents of the slow cooker until the desired texture has been reached. Stir in the half-and-half and add the salt to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a dollop of sour cream and some basil.