Roasted Pepper Soup with Shrimp / Scampi

Roasted Pepper Soup with Shrimp

This recipe yields approximately 4 servings, depending on the size of the bowls. It is a soup that can be made well in advance and tastes even better when the flavors have settled the next day.

Ingredients:

• 4 large red peppers (about 500g)
• 1 red onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 medium tomatoes (about 200g)
• 1 liter vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 can tomato puree (70g)
• 100 ml cream (or a vegetable cream for a lighter version)
• 200 g peeled shrimps or 12 scampis (can be fresh or frozen)
• Fresh parsley for garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Lemon juice (optional, for extra freshness)

Preparation:

1. Roasting peppers:
• Preheat the oven to 220°C.
• Cut the peppers into quarters and remove the seeds and stems.
• Place the peppers skin side up on a baking sheet. You can sprinkle them with a little olive oil if you like.
• Roast them in the oven until the skin is charred black, about 20-25 minutes.

1. Peeling peppers:
• Remove the peppers from the oven and immediately place them in a sealed plastic bag or bowl with a lid. This will help to remove the skins easily.
• Let them cool until you can handle them, then remove the skins, but reserve the roasted flesh.

1. Preparing the soup:
• Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the onion and garlic until soft.
• Add the roasted peppers and tomatoes in pieces to the pan. Fry them briefly.
• Add the tomato puree and mix well. Let this cook for a minute or two to develop the flavour.
• Pour in the vegetable stock, bring the soup to the boil, then let it simmer gently for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

1. Puree and finish:
• Remove the pan from the heat and puree the soup with a hand blender or in a blender until smooth.
• Add the cream to the soup and stir well. Reheat the soup, but do not let it boil again.
• Taste and season with salt, pepper, and possibly a pinch of sugar if the soup is too sour.

1. Add shrimp:
• Heat a little olive oil in a separate pan and quickly fry the shrimps/scampi until they are pink.
• Add the shrimp/scampi to the soup or serve them separately in each bowl for a nice presentation.

1. Serve:
• Divide the soup among bowls, place the shrimp on top, and garnish with fresh parsley.
• Add a little lemon juice for extra freshness if you like.