Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Instructions

1. Preheat the broiler. Line the broiler pan with foil; place the peppers on the pan. Broil 5 inches from the heat, turning frequently with tongs, until the skins are lightly charred, 10–20 minutes. Place the peppers in a large bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let steam 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel. Then cut each pepper in half and discard seeds. Coarsely chop the peppers; set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the roasted peppers, the broth, garlic sauce, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the peppers are very soft and the flavors are blended, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat; let the mixture cool for a few minutes. Transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor or blender and puree. Return the soup to the pan. Stir in the half-and-half and return to a simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Yields 1 3⁄4 cups per serving.