Roasted Red Pepper Bisque... And How To Roast Peppers
Roasting food over an open fire is traditionally thought of as a cold-weather practice. However, if you’ve never had roasted peppers, you’re missing out… they're great any time of year. Especially, organic, locally grown roasted peppers.
Here's what we recommend to roast peppers, plus a favorite recipe here at the Rice Diet Program. Roasting peppers intensifies and changes the flavor…they’re absolutely delicious!
Directions to easily roast peppers (the whole process):
- Buy peppers (they’re best from your local farmer, but be sure to buy organic from the grocery store if you’re using bell peppers, as research shows they contain high amounts of pesticide residues).
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Meanwhile, wash peppers and lay them out on a baking sheet.
- Place baking sheet in the oven.
- Peppers need to char and blister on all sides, so turn every 5-7 minutes. It should take between 20 and 30 minutes for the peppers to roast completely.
- Remove from oven and place directly into a paper bag, which allows the peppers to steam and the skin will come off easily.
- When the peppers have cooled, remove the skin and place in an airtight container and refrigerate (you can use them for the next several days).
Roasted Red Pepper Bisque
Ingredients:
6 large red bell peppers
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 shallots, diced
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon honey
1 quart vegetable stock (if not homemade, you can use no salt added vegetable bouillon like Rapunzel brand)
1/8 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/8 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Preparation:
Roast peppers (see directions above).
Meanwhile, heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil, shallots, onion and carrots, and sauté until the onions are translucent and carrots are tender. Stir in the garlic and set aside.
Peel peppers (skin should slide off). Cut them open and remove the seeds and pith. Place peppers in a food processor or blender. Add cooked vegetable mixture and other remaining ingredients, except for the fresh basil and parsley, and blend until smooth. Top with the fresh herbs. This soup can be served hot or cold and freezes well.
Yield: This recipe yields 6 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately. Calories 90, Total fat 1g, Saturated fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Protein 2g, Carbohydrates 18g, Fiber 5g, Sodium 25mg.
Click here for more Rice Diet recipes.
Success Stories Mary
After years of going on and off every diet imaginable, Mary found herself at 51 years old and still trying to lose the same 30 to 50 pounds she'd been battling for 30 years.
