Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Corn and Cilantro
Soup complete.
Poor tomatoes -- we forgot them!
Merrill begins assembling the quartered tomatoes, peeled shallots and garlic cloves (skins on -- thanks for cutting us a break Oui, Chef!).
Merrill seasons, and Amanda keeps up our clean-as-you-go policy. It's related to our strict eat-as-you-go policy.
Mixing the peppers with the tomatoes, shallots, garlic, oil, salt and pepper.
They come out of the oven looking well-charred and a little beat up from the heat. Don't worry, the payoff comes later.
Peeling the skins from the pepper.
To the roasted vegetables, you add smoked paprika.
Then chicken broth. You want a light chicken broth so the flavor of the vegetables remains prominent.
Blanching the cilantro -- which helps it retain its bright kelly green color.
The ice bath is key. The cilantro emerges like a wet cat. We mopped it off and chopped it next.
Time to puree the soup.
Merrill holds a tea towel on top so the soup doesn't shoot like a geyser onto the ceiling. It's best to do in batches, and make sure you've let it cool enough.
Sherry vinegar zips up the cilantro oil.
The corn gets sauteed with thyme.
Then finished with butter.
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A&M say: If you took all of the ingredients in this soup, threw them into a pot and cooked them together, you'd end up with a pretty delicious result. But Oui, Chef takes the soup to a new flavor planet by enhancing each component. He roasts the tomatoes, peppers, shallots and garlic until they're smoky and charred. He toasts the corn in a pan with thyme and wraps it with butter. And he brightens a cilantro oil with splashes of sherry vinegar. By the time you're done and have all the parts assembled beautifully in a bowl, you have a dinner party star and a soup that you'll want to savor the next day for lunch. - A&M
Oui, Chef says: This is a variation on a red pepper / tomato sauce that I've tossed with pasta for years. Our corn is so good right now that I couldn't resist, and thyme and cilantro from the garden rounded out the dish. My first thought was to grate a little ricotta salata over the top, but the feta is a nice stand-in. - Oui, Chef
Serves 6
- 5 large red peppers, washed, cut in half and de-seeded
- 4 large heirloom tomatoes, washed, cored and quartered
- 8 large garlic cloves, still in their skins
- 3 large shallots, peeled and halved
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock, plus more if needed
- 1/4 teaspoon pimenton (smoked paprika)
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, well washed and spun dry
- 1 splash sherry vinegar
- 2 small ears sweet corn, cut from the cob
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, finely minced
- 1/2 shallot, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- EVOO
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 425℉
- Toss the pepper halves, tomato quarters, halved shallots and garlic cloves in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss with your hands to coat. Place them all in a single layer, skin side up in a large roasting pan.
- Place the pan in the oven and roast for 45 to 60 minutes, until everything has started to take on a nice charred appearance. Check the shallots and garlic at this point, if they are nice and soft, remove from the pan and reserve, if not, you can keep them in the pan for the final 15 minutes of cooking.
- At the one hour mark, remove the pan, peel the charred skin from the tomatoes and peppers, and squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins. Place the skinned tomatoes, peppers, garlic and shallots in a medium pot with the pimenton and chicken stock, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes.
- Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender and place in a clean pan, check for seasoning and keep warm.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, toss in the cilantro and blanch for about 30 seconds. Pull from the pot with a slotted spoon and shock in ice water. When cooled, pour through a strainer to catch the cilantro, and pressing with the palm of your hand, wring as much of the water free as you can. Finely chop the herb, then toss into a bowl with enough EVOO to maker a spoonable cilantro oil, add a splash of sherry vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Reserve.
- Preheat a skillet over a medium flame, and when hot add a splash of olive oil and the minced shallot. Cook until the shallot starts to take on some color, then add the corn kernels, some salt and pepper, and the fresh thyme. Cook for 2 minutes, toss in the butter, and when it melts, remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl.
- To serve, place a small pile of the corn in the center of a warmed soup bowl, pour the soup around, drizzle with some cilantro oil, and finally, sprinkle with a little crumbled feta.
- Your Best Red Pepper Recipe Contest Winner!
Tags: savory, serves a crowd, Summer
7 months ago Green Rider
Thank you for the lovely soup recipe. I have made it several times for informal dinners with friends. Tonight I am making a double batch, and instead of the cilantro oil I will be trying a fresh basil oil instead--my garden is lush with large and beautiful basil plants--I hope it will be just as delicious!
7 months ago Oui, Chef
So glad you like it, thanks for letting me know. Now that corn is back in season, I'll be making it again soon.
8 months ago Trekcustom
I'm headed to the produce stand today!!!!!!! Not only does this sound and look incredible but it is loaded with vitamins and potassium .... for us diabetics that's awesome, thank you
about 1 year ago borntobeworn
The grocery had 10 red peppers for $10 so I made a double batch of this today! Love this recipe -- it really is the best soup ever!
about 1 year ago The Mary-anne
This is a great recipe but very time intensive. I ended up cutting corners at the end with guests arriving and still unshowered. Still very good!
over 1 year ago Lindsay Hack
Delicious! I was skeptical about the corn, but it adds a wonderful sweetness and crunch to the soup! Now I'm just wondering.....how'd you make your pasta sauce?
over 1 year ago zyncooks
This was so good. The corn was spectacular. I skipped some steps in preparing the cilantro oil and simply simmered a bunch of cilantro in about 1/2 cup olive oil and then let it set for a few hours. It was great. There was plenty for our four and about two servings leftover that I am right now enjoying. Cheers!
over 1 year ago Oui, Chef
Awesome, glad it worked for you! - S
over 1 year ago heidik
Absolutely delicious. Time consuming but worth it. Every element is crucial from the cilantro oil down to the shaved corn. However 6 portions? I think not. Maybe 3 medium sized or 4 very small portions at best.
over 1 year ago Oui, Chef
Hmmm....glad you like it, and I'll be sure to re-check the yield the next time I make it. Thanks for the note.
over 1 year ago TaraT
It's roasting hot here in the midwest, but the beautiful corn and tomatoes at the market this morning have me convinced it's worth it to turn the oven on to make this soup! Love it!
over 1 year ago Oui, Chef
Now that its cooling here in the Northeast, and tomatoes and corn are still abundant, I'm making more of this myself.
over 1 year ago eatatvino
This was a big hit at home when I made it last week. Roasting the vegetables certainly brings a different dimension to this recipe :-)
over 1 year ago Oui, Chef
Glad you liked it, thanks for letting me know.
over 1 year ago cstordy
Brilliant recipe. I am inclined to think it would also be good served chilled. Oui?
over 1 year ago cstordy
I did serve it chilled to rave reviews. Try it less the garnish in a glass with Vodka over rocks with a twist, that works also :)) seriously!
over 1 year ago Oui, Chef
Oohhh...I like the way you think my friend, especially the rocks with a twist version....nice! - S
about 2 years ago melissav
I know a dish is a keeper when my husband tells me that I need to make it for his parents when they come for a visit. He wasn't more than two bites in when he uttered those very words. The soup was delicious and will definitely be repeated!
about 2 years ago Oui, Chef
Passed the in-law hurdle, huh? Awesome! Thanks for your lovely comment, and I'm so pleased you both liked the soup. - S
about 2 years ago vansuze
what is EVOO?
about 2 years ago Oui, Chef
EVOO stands for Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It's great if you have it, if not, regular olive oil will do. - S
over 2 years ago revans
This is the absolute best soup I have ever tasted. I felt like a star chef when I served it last night :-). It is worth the separate steps.
over 2 years ago traveling.ania
Oh my God. It's more than divine. It's a pure culinary orgasm.
over 2 years ago veronique
This soup is divine. It's important to balance the contrasting flavors of the cilantro and feta.Too much of either takes away from the pepper/tomatoe base. I also plan to try ricotta.
over 2 years ago Nix
chef...fantastic dish!! i just made it with local tomatoes, peppers corn and cilantro an dloving it!!!!!
over 2 years ago lisa schermerhorn
Congratulations! This soup looks amazing. I can't wait to make it!
over 2 years ago TasteFood
Congratulations, Oui Chef! Here's to a great start of another Food52 year!
over 2 years ago Oui, Chef
WOW....how exciting! Thanks to all of you for your support and congratulations! Cheers - S
p.s. I don't usually carry a handbag (well, not a pink one anyway).
over 2 years ago Culinista Annouchka
Bravo! Beautiful recipe!