50+ Friends Club Cookbook -- Soups and Sandwiches -- Italian Pepper Soup

50+ Friends Club Cookbook
Soups and Sandwiches

Return to
Cookbook Index | Chapter Index

Italian Pepper Soup

From the Kitchen of: Pepper
Source: Newspaper Article

Italian Pepper Soup
1	tsp	Olive oil
1	lg	Onion (for 1 cup chopped)
2	med	Zucchini, about 1 pound
1	tsp bottled	Minced garlic
1	can (14 1/2 ounces)	Fat-free chicken broth
1	can (14 1/2 ounces)	Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1	small can (7 3/4 ounces)	Chickpeas
2	C	Easy blender pepper sauce, thawed (see recipe below)

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 4 1/2 -quart Dutch oven or soup pot. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the pot as you chop. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the onion softens, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, trim off the ends of the zucchini and cut it into 1/4-inch dice, adding it to the skillet as you cut. Add the garlic. Cook until the zucchini is soft, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, open the broth and tomato cans and set aside. Rinse and drain the chickpeas.
Add the chicken broth and tomatoes. Raise the heat to high. Add pepper sauce and chickpeas. Bring the soup almost to a boil and immediately reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the flavors blend, about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Serve at once. Serves 4.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in an extra-deep, 12-inch nonstick skillet. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop. When all of the onion has been added, reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and black pepper. Cook 3 minutes until the onion is soft.
- While the onion cooks, pour the pepper strips into a colander and rinse with cool water until defrosted, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain well, pressing the peppers with the back of a spoon to remove as much water as possible.
- Remove the onions from the heat, and pour them into an electric blender container. Add the pepper strips and half-and-half. Blend at high until the vegetables are well-blended but still slightly chunky, about 30 to 45 seconds. Scrape down the blender sides midway through, if necessary.
- Use the sauce in a recipe, or refrigerate in the blender container for up to 24 hours before serving. If the sauce is stored, you will need to whirl it again in the blender to remix before serving. The sauce may be frozen up to 1 month in an airtight container.
- To defrost, place in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave uncovered at 50 percent power until defrosted, about 3 minutes. Or thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Yield: 4 cups.

Easy Blender Pepper Sauce
1	tbsp	Olive oil
1	lg	Onion (for 1 cup chopped)
1	tbsp bottled	Minced garlic
1/2	tsp	Black pepper
2	bags (1 pound each)	Frozen bell pepper strips
3/4	C	Half-and-half

50+ Friends Club CookbookSoups and Sandwiches

Italian Pepper Soup

50+ Friends Club Cookbook
Soups and Sandwiches