Soup weather finally catches up with calendar
The weather has finally started agreeing with the calendar. The chill in the air makes me happy for two reasons: I get to wear fall clothes, and I get to make real soup again. Not the gazpachos and other lighter, chilled soups of summer but piping-hot, fortifying bowls.
I like it when every sip of a cold-weather soup comes with a kick, especially if I'm fighting a cold — or, the case recently, losing the battle against one. My dulled sense of taste appreciates being slapped awake, and any form of chile pepper works to ease my congestion.
Many fall soups depend on root vegetables. But one that caught my eye in the book “Smith & Deli-Cious” by Shannon Martinez and Mo Wyse (Hardie Grant, 2018) features red bell peppers and chickpeas instead. Some of the beans get blended into the soup once the peppers are tender, while more get roasted and go on top for serving. Stirring in a little cooked rice after the pureeing step adds even more texture and heartiness.
What I love the most should come as no surprise: It's a generous dollop of hot sauce, giving this cold-weather soup a comforting burn.