Serves: 4 Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cups sourdough bread, cubed
4 each green bell pepper, charred*, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 ¾ cup english cucumber, chopped
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon shallot, chopped
1 ½ cups water
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup aged sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Optional:
Garnish with croutons or choice of protein or veggie
Procedure:
Fill a medium bowl with about ¾ cup of water. Add the bread and stir together until all the cubes are soaked. Let sit for 20 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water and place in a clean bowl.
Add the green bell pepper, english cucumber, and shallot to the bread and mix to combine.
Working in batches as necessary, puree the vegetable and bread mixture in a blender with the water for about 3 minutes.
Transfer the soup to a large bowl and stir in the extra virgin olive oil, aged sherry vinegar, salt, black pepper, and cumin. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Chill the soup for about 1 hour prior to serving. This allows the flavors time to marry.
Serve with your choice of garnish.
*For best results, char the green bell peppers over an open flame or on a grill over medium-high heat. About 2 minutes on each side. To remove the skin, place the charred peppers in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 10 minutes, the steam will make them easier to peel.