Roasted Pepper Consommé with Okra and Almonds

Recipe created by Jeremy Fox

Roasted red pepper consommé and garlic-infused olive oil poured over an unexpected combination of green beans, okra, mint, and almonds make an elegant soup.

This recipe is from Ubuntu's Garden-Fresh Menu.

Servings: Serves 4

Ingredients:
•16 red bell peppers
•2 tsp. sherry vinegar
•Salt
•4 cloves garlic , peeled
•3 Tbsp. olive oil
•1/2 pound green beans , ends trimmed
•10 okra , stem ends trimmed
•6 mint leaves , chopped
•16 unsalted almonds , toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500°. Place peppers on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil; dry roast until skin blisters and loosens, about 25 minutes. Immediately transfer to a container, tightly cover, and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Once peppers are cool enough to handle, peel, and remove seeds. Squeeze peppers to extract their natural liquid, about 1 pint. Dilute this "consommé" with 4 ounces of water, and add vinegar and salt to taste. (Save roasted peppers to make the romesco in the grilled figs recipe.)

Reduce oven to 300°. Fold a sheet of aluminum foil to form a small rectangular pouch. Place garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and a pinch of salt in pouch and cook until garlic is soft but not mushy, about 2 hours. Remove and set aside.

About 30 minutes before garlic is done cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and fill a bowl with ice water. Cook green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes, then plunge directly into ice bath. Drain and place on paper towels.

Toss okra in remaining olive oil. Pan roast over medium-high heat until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Reheat consommé in a small pan over low heat for about 1 minute.

Chop green beans and okra, leaving 8 beans whole for a garnish (optional). To serve, divide vegetables, mint, garlic, and almonds among 4 small bowls. Pour in warm consommé; drizzle with garlic-infused olive oil. Season to taste with salt.

From Oprah.Com