Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup and Roasted Tomato Soup with Serrano Cream

Ingredients

For the pepper soup:

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 6 yellow bell peppers, roasted and chopped coarse
• 1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth, plus additional to thin the soup
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

For the tomato soup:

• 3 pounds plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
• 3 unpeeled large garlic leaves
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth plus additional to thin the soup
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Fresh lemon juice, to taste
• Salt and pepper

For the cream:

• 3 serrano chiles or jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
• 1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

Directions

To roast the peppers:

Using a long-handled fork, char the peppers over an open flame, turning them for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the skins are blackened. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and let them steam, covered, until they are cool enough to handle. Keeping the peppers whole, peel them starting at the blossom end, cut off the tops, and discard the seeds and ribs.

Make the pepper soup: In a heavy saucepan cook the shallot, thyme, salt, and pepper, to taste, in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring until the shallot is soft. Add the bell peppers and 1 1/2 cups of the broth and simmer the mixture, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the peppers are very soft. In a blender puree the soup in batches until it is very smooth, forcing it as it is pureed through a fine sieve set over the pan. Then whisk in the cream, enough of the additional broth to reach the desired consistency, the lemon juice, salt, and pepper, to taste. The soup may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated.

Make the tomato soup: Spread the tomatoes, skin side down, in 1 layer in 2 foil-lined jellyroll pans. Add the garlic to one of the pans and bake the tomatoes and garlic in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the tomatoes are very soft and their skin is dark brown. Let the tomatoes and the garlic cool in the pans on racks. In a heavy saucepan cook the shallot and oregano, and salt and pepper, to taste, in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring until the shallot is soft. Add the tomatoes, garlic (skins discarded) and 1 1/2 cups of the broth and simmer the mixture, covered for 15 minutes. In a blender puree the soup in batches until it is very smooth, forcing it as it is pureed through a fine sieve set over the pan. Whisk in the cream, the additional broth, if necessary, the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. The soup may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated.

Make the serrano cream: In a blender blend together the chiles, garlic paste, and creme fraiche, until the mixture is combined well. Force the mixture through a fine sieve set over a small bowl. The serrano cream may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and then reheated.