Roasted red peppers are featured in this intriguing pureed soup with onion, celery, red wine and mint. This is a very hearty soup, I recommend serving 6 to 8 ounces as an appetizer. Very good garnished with crispy bacon bits and mint.
INGREDIENTS (for 8 servings):
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 1/2 cups diced onion
- 1 1/2 cups diced celery
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 3 fluid ounces Merlot wine
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 8 large mint leaves
PREPARATION:
Preheat your oven's broiler. Place red bell peppers a few inches from the heat, and broil until blackened, turning frequently to roast evenly. Remove from the oven, cool slightly, and peel. Remove seeds, and chop into 1 inch pieces.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and spray with cooking spray. Add onions, garlic and celery, and saute with the cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper and salt until onions and celery are tender. Stir in the sour cream, Merlot, milk, soy sauce, lemon juice, feta cheese, and mint leaves. Transfer portions of the soup to a blender, and process until smooth. Do not fill the blender more than halfway to prevent overflow. Heat puree in a saucepan until warm.