8 large red bell peppers
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp ground pepper or to taste
1. Roast the peppers. Use your broiler or the flame from your gas stove until charred on all sides. Place peppers in zip-lock plastic bags and let them rest for 15-30 minutes. Open the bags; run the peppers under water and slide off the skins, leaving some of the charred bits. Cut the peppers open and scoop out the seeds.
2. In a dutch oven, heat the olive oil on very low heat; add minced garlic and let cook very slowly (don't let it brown) for about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika and tomato paste; then whisk in the flour; cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the broth, smoothing out any lumps.
3. Place the roasted peppers in a food processor and process until smooth; then use a spatula to scrape the peppers into the soup pot. (It may take more than one batch to process them all.)
4. Place the celery and onion in the food processor and process until smooth. Drizzle melted butter through the top in the final seconds of processing. Scrape this mixture into the soup.
5. Stir in Tabasco, salt, and pepper; heat through. Makes 5-6 servings.