Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients

• 3 red bell peppers
  
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, left whole
  
• 1 leek, carefully washed and sliced
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 cup chicken broth
  
• 1 cup cooked basmati rice
  
• 2 large lemons
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• 1/3 teaspoon dried basil
  
• several shakes Pensey's Tuscan Sunset (basil, oregano, fennel, garlic, and anise)
  

Directions

1. Roast peppers in oven until black all over. Put in a paper bag for 15 minutes. Peel, seed, and coarsely chop.
2. Over medium high heat, heat olive oil in saucepan with leek, rice, and tomatoes. Saute until the tomatoes pop.
3. Add chicken broth, scraping to deglaze the pan.
4. With a vegetable peeler, remove just the bright yellow part of the lemon peel. Finely chop the peel. Juice the lemons.
5. Add the peppers, lemon peel, and juice to the saucepan. Season to taste.
6. Pulse in the blender until everything is finely chopped but short of pureed. May be served chilled or reheated.