Roast pepper and tomato soup

Roast pepper and tomato soup with white beans. A delicious, healthy winter soup. When ready, give it a few twists of fresh pepper and serve piping hot with your choice of garnish. Enjoy! Serves 6.

Ingredients

2 onions
1 kg sweet potatoes – peeled and cut in large pieces
1 tbls extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic – crushed
a few sprigs of fresh thyme – remove from stems or
1/2 tsp oregano
2 dried bay leaves
1 small dried chilli pepper – crushed or chopped finely (optional)
3 inch piece Kombu (strips of Japanese seaweed) – soaked in cold water
1 – 2 tbls white miso
fresh ground black pepper
garnish: small bunch or fresh chives or parsley

Method

Heat a medium size soup pan over medium to high flame. Add olive oil and saute the onions with the garlic, thyme or oregano, bay leaves, and chilli pepper. Reduce heat if necessary to avoid scorching. When onions are glassy and sweet smelling add the sweet potatoes and saute for a few minutes. Add Kombu and soaking water plus enough water to cover the vegetables. Bring soup to boil and remove Kombu. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until vegetables are soft.

Add the white miso diluted in a little of the hot soup broth. Use a potato masher or metal whisk to lightly blend the soup.

Give it a twist of fresh pepper and serve piping hot with your choice garnish.