Spicy Pepper Soups

What a gross day it is out, cloudy and cold, unlike yesterday which was sunny and warm and beautiful. The only good thing about a gross day is that it calls for hot and delicious soup. Todays soups are a bit on the spicy side (yes, I'm really white, so when I say spicy it's not that big of a deal for most people, but if you have delicate taste buds, just cut out the spicy bits or be prepared for a bit of burn). Soup is served with sliced french bread (leave this out if you can't handle gluten) and a mixed greens salad featuring shredded carrots, dried cranberries, and a honey dijon mustard dressing. If you are lactose intolerant, enjoy the red soup and stay away from the green. If you are vegetarian, simply replace chicken and beef stock with veggie stock.


Red Spicy Pepper Soup
Makes 12 small servings

Ingredients:
olive oil
6 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into quarters
1 habanero pepper, seeded and minced (remember to wear gloves when handling spicy peppers and don't touch your eyes)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
2 ribs celery
2 quarts (aka 8 cups) beef broth
1/2 cup uncooked rice (I used white rice, but if you have time, use brown rice)
1 tsp dried thyme (or 2 Tbs fresh thyme, if you have it)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. Lightly coat bell peppers in olive oil and place them skin side up on a baking sheet lined with tinfoil (this makes for easy cleanup, which is a big deal if you don't use tinfoil).
3. Broil peppers until the skin is blackened and blistered.
4. Place peppers in a paper bag, close it up tight to keep the steam in, and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
5. When peppers are cool enough to touch, remove skins by rubbing with a paper towel or peeling off with fingers. This bit is kinda messy.
6. In a large pot, heat 2 Tbs olive oil over medium heat and saute onion, garlic, habanero pepper, and celery until the onion starts to turn glassy. If the garlic burns, start over using lower heat because the burnt garlic will make the whole dish taste nasty.
7. Add bell peppers, broth, rice, thyme, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes, bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
9. Use an immersion stick blender directly in the pot or a regular blender in batches.
10. Salt and pepper to taste.

Green Spicy Pepper Soup
Makes 12 small servings

Ingredients:
olive oil
6 green bell peppers, seeded and cut in quarters
1 jalapeno pepper
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup half-and-half
salt and pepper to taste


Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. Lightly coat peppers in olive oil and place them skin side up on a baking sheet lined with tinfoil (this makes for easy cleanup, which is a big deal if you don't use tinfoil).
3. Broil peppers until the skin is blackened and blistered.
4. Place peppers in a paper bag, close it up tight to keep the steam in, and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
5. When peppers are cool enough to touch, remove skins by rubbing with a paper towel or peeling off with fingers. This bit is kinda messy. Seed and mince the jalapeno pepper.
6. In a large pot, heat 2 Tbs olive oil over medium heat and saute onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, and celery until the onion starts to turn glassy. If the garlic burns, start over using lower heat because the burnt garlic will make the whole dish taste nasty.
7. Add bell pepper and chicken stock, bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
9. Use an immersion stick blender directly in the pot or a regular blender in batches.
10. Stir in half-and-half, salt and pepper to taste.