Roasted Pepper and Eggplant Soup

I owe many thanks to my friend Michal for having shared this recipe with me. Michal saw this soup at the Culinary Institute of America in Vermont, and then brilliantly formulated this recipe. The soup is very rich in flavor, texture, and color. Our family loves it. So, once again, thank you Michal!!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-large onion chopped or sliced
• 1 leek (white part) washed and sliced
• 4 red peppers
• 1-2 eggplants
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• basil for decoration

Preparation:

1. On thin baking pan, placed on gas range, place the washed and dried eggplants and peppers. Roast them till they are charred on all sides. This can also be done under the grill in oven. Turn around carefully, so that all sides get charred.
2. Take out of oven or off of the gas range, and place in covered plastic box.
3. When cooled, peel the peppers and eggplant. The pepper skins should come off easily. Discard charred skins and seeds. If some black specks from the charred skin remain, that is ok; it will add flavor and texture to the soup. Save the “flesh” of the eggplants, discarding the charred skin.
4. In big pot, slowly fry the sliced or chopped onions (size doesn’t matter since you will later blend the entire mass with a hand blender).
5. Add the sliced leeks. Fry slowly and carefully, so that the leeks and onions don’t get brown – only soft and translucent.
6. Add salt and pepper.
7. Add the roasted and peeled peppers, cut into pieces, and then add the flesh of the roasted eggplant. Add about 10-11 cups of water.
8. Cook for about half an hour or 40 minutes on small-medium flame.
9. Blend with a hand blender (magic-wand), in pot.
10. When completely smooth, put back on cook-top and cook a bit more on a very small flame.
11. Taste and adjust seasoning.
12. Serve with a bit of chopped basil on top.