Cold Roasted Sweet Pepper Soup

Ingredients:

Soup:

• 6 roasted, peeled, seeded and diced red bell peppers
• 2 1/2 cups rich chicken broth or vegetable broth, plus more if needed
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 chopped cloves of garlic
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 cup fortified red table wine Marsala
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Salt and ground black pepper

Avocado and Chili Salsa:

• 1/2 head of chopped onion
• 2 crushed cloves of garlic
• 2 roasted Anaheim chili peppers, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1 dried ancho chili pepper, roasted and powdered
• 2 avocados, diced into small cubes
• 2 chopped plum tomatoes
• Juice of 2 limes
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Sprigs of cilantro for garnish

Preparation:

1. To make the soup, heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the cumin and sauté for another 2 minutes.
   
   Pour in the Marsala wine and reduce until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes. Add the pepper and broth, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Gently puree the soup in a blender. Transfer it to a large bowl, cover, and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. (If the soup is too thick after chilling, thin it with a little more broth.)
   
   Meanwhile, prepare the salsa.In a bowl, combine the onion, garlic, chili peppers, tomatoes, and avocado. Mix well. Add the lime juice, mix well, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
   
   To serve, ladle the soup into deep bowls and garnish with salsa, crème fraîche, and cilantro sprigs.