Equally delicious served hot or chilled, this bright soup is like late summer in a bowl. While red bell peppers can be had year-round these days, I highly recommend using only fresh, locally grown, ideally organic peppers and corn for this soup, and making it only during the height of the summer produce season. If you live in a hot climate and don't want to heat up your kitchen in the middle of summer, blacken the peppers on a hot grill instead.
Course Soups and Stews
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Author Robin Donovan
Ingredients
8red bell peppershalved and seeded
1cupfresh or frozen corn kernelsfrom about 1 ear of corn
1medium yellow oniondiced
8cupschicken or vegetable broth
2–3 ouncesabout ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼–1/2 teaspoon cayenneoptional
2teaspoonsbalsamic vinegar
Crème fraîchesour cream, or plain yogurt for garnish
Thinly sliced chives for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450º Fahrenheit.
Place the halved bell peppers, cut side down, on a baking sheet and roast in preheated oven until the skin begins to blacken and blister, 35 to 45 minutes.
Remove from oven, place in a bowl, cover, and let steam for 15 minutes or so until the peppers are cool enough to handle.
Peel off skins and discard.
Place the peppers in a large pot along with the diced onion, corn kernels, and broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, uncovered, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Using an immersion blender (or in batches in a countertop blender or food processor), purée the soup until nearly smooth (it’s best if the soup still has some texture to it).
Raise heat, return to a boil.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and cayenne, if using.
Just before serving, stir in balsamic vinegar.
Serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream, crème fraîche, or yogurt and a sprinkling of chives.