My little boy Luca loves his food, he is willing to try everything at least once and when the leaves on the tree’s start to change colour he always asks for my special Christmas soup as he like’s to call it. The soup he is referring to is http://dianastaveley.blogspot.com/2010/06/roast-squash-and-sweet-potato-soup-with.html and the reason he calls it the Christmas soup is only because the first time I made it, it was for our starter on Christmas day.

I associate it with snow, as I remember last year when we were snowed in walking to the shop to buy the ingredients to make this gorgeous warming soup.

This year as October has been ridiculously hot ,I felt it just wasn’t right to make him this soup yet and so instead I made him this vibrant, roasted red pepper soup and he loved it, but he did say that he still prefers the other one, bless him. I promised to make it for him as soon as the weather cools down a little.

Either soup would be perfect for the little ones when they come in from Trick or Treating on Halloween or around the Bonfire on Firework Night. You could even add a little chilli or ginger to give it that extra warming kick.

Buon appetito


 

 

 

Serves 8

8 large red peppers
1.5 litres vegetable stock
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled & diced
2 sticks of celery, diced
1 head of garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
150g soft goats cheese
50g rocket leaves

Preheat the oven to 230c/ 450f/ gas mark 8.

Cut the peppers in half, removing the seeds but leaving the stalks intact, then place in a roasting tin as a single layer with the skins facing upwards.

Wrap the garlic head in foil, add to the tin, then roast for 30 minutes until the pepper skins are lightly charred. Keep an eye on them, as my cooker always seems to cook them far quicker.

Place the peppers in a bowl, cover with cling film and allow to cool. Once cooled, the skins should be easy to remove.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan, add the onions, carrots and celery, then cover and cook for 15 – 20 minutes until softened. Add the smoked paprika and stir.

Add the stock and skinless peppers (as well as their juices) to the pan.

Squeeze half of the roasted garlic cloves from their skins and add to the pan (you can use the other half on bruschetta or in a pasta dish), bring to the boil and remove from the heat.

Blend in batches, season to taste and serve with a small handful of rocket leaves and crumbled goats cheese.