Roasted Red Pepper Soup  

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INGREDIENTS:  
5 Whole Red Peppers  
1/2 tablespoon olive oil  
1/3 cup finely chopped carrots  
1/3 cup finely chopped celery  
1 large onion, chopped  
salt to taste  
freshly ground black pepper  
1 small Russet potato  
1 bay leaf  
about 1 quart vegetable stock  
fresh basil leaves  

DIRECTIONS:  
To roast the red peppers. Slice each in half lengthwise  
and remove the seeds. Place the 2 halves on a cookie sheet  
and press down so they lie flat with the skin side up.  
Place the pepper under a hot broiler until the skin is  
evenly blistered, about 5 to 8 minutes. Carefully remove  
the pepper from the cookie sheet and place in a bowl.  
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit for 5 minutes.  
Uncover and peel off the skin. Heat the olive oil in a  
saucepan over low heat. Add the carrots, celery and onions,
season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes.  
Peel and slice the potato and add it to the pot. Add the bay  
leaf and stock and bring to a boil quickly over high heat.  
Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are completely  
tender, about 15 minutes. Add the roasted red peppers and  
simmer 10 minutes more. Remove the bay leaf and puree in a  
blender. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Chop the basil  
at the last minute to prevent discoloration. Serve the soup  
in warm bowls and sprinkle with chopped basil.  

Serving Size: about 1 1/2 cups  
Number of Servings: 6