Simple soups: a recipe for three pepper soup

Preheat your oven to 240C/475F/Gas 9. Put the peppers in a large baking pan and roast for 20-30 minutes until the skins begin to char, you may need to turn them once during cooking to prevent the skins from burning. Take the peppers out of the oven and put them into a plastic zip-lock bag and seal. Leave for 15 minutes to steam then take out of the bag. Take the two yellow peppers first, peel and remove the stalks and seeds and reserve any juices. Chop the flesh roughly and put into a small saucepan. Do the same to the orange and red peppers so you will now have 3 saucepans containing different coloured peppers.

In another saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic until soft but not coloured. Add a third this mixture to each saucepan of peppers. Now add 250ml stock to each saucepan, bring them all to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Blend each soup with a stick blender until smooth, then pass through a sieve and pour back into the rinsed out saucepans. Bring the soups back to the boil, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Pour into separate jugs and with the help of one of your guests, pour the soups into your warmed bowls at the same time being careful not to let them mix together too much. With a small spoon, swirl the top of each bowl of soup just before bringing to the table.