Chilled Red Pepper Soup
Submitted by monet
This Tex-Mex chilled red pepper soup blends smoky roasted peppers with tangy buttermilk, sweet corn, and pickled nopales for a bold, refreshing bowl topped with herbed Parmesan tortilla crisps.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
1 hrsCOOK
15 minREADY
1 hrsThink of this as gazpacho’s bolder, more adventurous cousin from south of the border.
Roasted red peppers get pureed silky smooth with garlic, then loosened up with buttermilk and chicken broth for a soup that’s creamy without the cream.
Sweet corn kernels and tangy pickled nopales (cactus paddles) stud every spoonful with texture and surprise.
A cool dollop of herbed yogurt melts into each bowl, and those oregano-Parmesan tortilla crisps on the side? Pure crunch.
Chef Tips
- Can’t find pickled nopales? Swap in a few minced pickled jalapenos (seeds removed) for a spicier kick, or just leave them out.
- Chill the soup for at least an hour, but overnight is even better. The flavors meld and deepen as they sit.
- Use jarred roasted red peppers in a pinch. Drain and blot them dry so the soup doesn’t get watery.
- Watch those tortilla crisps under the broiler like a hawk. They go from golden to charred in seconds.
Ingredients
Directions
IN THE BOWL of a food processor fitted with a steel chopping blade, combine the peppers and garlic, and purée until smooth.
Scrape the mixture into a large non-aluminum bowl.
Add the chicken stock, buttermilk, sugar, salt, corn, nopales, oregano, and Tabasco, and stir to blend.
Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and oregano.
Cover and refrigerate.
TO MAKE THE CRISPS: Turn on your broiler, and position the rack at least 5 inches from the heat.
Lightly brush the top of the tortilla wedges with oil.
Place them on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Sprinkle on the oregano, crumbling it with your fingers as you do this, then drizzle on the Parmesan cheese. Run them under the broiler, just to crisp and color lightly, watching so they do not burn. Before serving, ladle the soup into bowls. Add about a tablespoon of the yogurt in the center. Sprinkle on chopped oregano and serve with the tortilla wedges. NOTE: Although Tex-Mex and other Latin delicacies are now available in many markets across the country, pickled nopales or tender cactus leaves are less available than jalapeno peppers, for example. If you cannot find them, either chop a few pickled jalapeno peppers (with the seeds removed) or simply omit them.
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