Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Step 1

Set the oven to 425°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Place the 4 red bell peppers on a cutting board and cut them in half lengthwise from the tip to the root end, then cut out and discard the white core and all the seeds.

Step 3

Arrange the pepper halves skin-side up in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between them so they can roast evenly.

Step 4

Slide the baking sheet into the oven and roast until the pepper skins are blackened and blistered, about 25 minutes—the edges should look nearly charred.

Step 5

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the peppers rest for 5 minutes so they are cool enough to touch safely.

Step 6

Peel the blackened skin off each pepper half using your fingers or a knife—the skin should come away easily once cooled—and discard it.

Step 7

Cut the peeled red peppers into 2-inch-wide pieces and place them in a medium bowl.

Step 8

Cut the yellow onion in half lengthwise from root to tip, then place cut-side down and slice crosswise into 0.5-inch-thick half-moons.

Step 9

Mince the 4 garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.

Step 10

Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large pot and set it over medium heat until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pot, about 90 seconds.

Step 11

Add the sliced onion to the hot oil and stir once every 30 seconds until the edges turn soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step 12

Pour in the minced garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the mixture smells strongly fragrant and golden—do not let the garlic brown.

Step 13

Add the roasted red pepper pieces and 4 cups of vegetable broth to the pot and stir to combine.

Step 14

Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil—you will see large bubbles breaking the surface rapidly—then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 15

Remove the pot from the heat and let the soup cool for 2 minutes so it is safe to blend.

Step 16

Working in batches, carefully pour about half the soup into a blender, filling it only halfway, then blend on medium speed until completely smooth and no pepper chunks remain, about 45 seconds.

Step 17

Pour the blended soup from the blender into a clean pot, then repeat with the remaining soup in the blender.

Step 18

Set the pot with all blended soup over medium heat and warm it until it steams and small bubbles form around the edges, about 3 minutes—stir once every 30 seconds.

Step 19

Pour the 0.5 cup of heavy cream into the pot and stir constantly for 30 seconds until it is completely incorporated and the color is uniform throughout.

Step 20

Taste the soup with a clean spoon and stir in salt and pepper in small pinches until it tastes balanced to you—start with 0.5 teaspoon salt.

Step 21

Tear the 8 fresh basil leaves by hand into small pieces about the size of a postage stamp.

Step 22

Ladle the soup into bowls and scatter the torn basil on top of each bowl immediately before serving.