Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Soup

Roasted Red Pepper Soup (serves 6-ish)

8 red peppers

8 peppercorns, 3 sprigs of thyme, 1 bay leaf - tie into a cheesecloth bag

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 cups diced onion

4 cups vegetable broth

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 head of roasted garlic (see note)

Halve and clean peppers. Broil skin-side up for 15 minutes - the skin will blacken and blister. Remove from broiler and place them into a ziploc bag or a tightly sealed bowl. Let sit for 20 minutes. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skins. Chop the peppers up a bit - rough chop, no need to be precise. If there is juice in the bottom of the ziploc bag or the bowl you let the peppers sit in, save that to add to the soup.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the chopped onion and cook until transparent. Add the peppers (and juice), the little bag of spices, the broth, vinegar/lemon juice, and salt. Turn the heat up, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the spice bag, add the roasted garlic, and puree with a stick blender.

Note: For roasted garlic - take a head of garlic. Brush away any loose papery skin. Cut off the top of the whole head to expose the cloves. Drizzle olive oil over the head, wrap it in aluminum foil, and roast at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. To use, squeeze the soft cloves out of the papery outsides.