Roasted pepper and tomato soup

This is a sort of/kind of recipe for soup using my roasted/canned red and yellow bell peppers. You can use canned roasted red peppers just as well and fresh tomatoes too.

This is a basic soup, but you can dress it up anyway you like as you go.

What you need:

One medium onion,  chopped
Two medium carrots, coined or chopped
Two stalks celery, diced
(or any combo of these that you have in the fridge)
Oil for cooking veggies
2-4 tbsp smoked paprika (or not, depending on taste)*
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or just a pinch)*
1 tbsp Italian seasoning (to taste)*
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup Red or white wine
2-3 cups chicken stock or broth (boxed/canned is fine)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 pint of roasted red peppers with some of the juice
1-2 cans diced tomatoes (Italian or Mexican spiced up to you, but I use plain)
1 cup half and half or 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream or coconut milk

Basically, whatever you have in the fridge, cupboard or can borrow. The main thing are the peppers and tomatoes. Everything else is to taste or if available.

In a large pot (this is a one pot operation) heat oil until hot. Add the veggies and saute until starting to soften. Add the paprika, cayenne, Italian seasoning and tomato paste and stir well. Cook until the spices bloom (smell good). Deglaze (meaning pour into the pan) the wine and cook until mostly gone. Add the stock, vinegar, peppers, tomatoes and stir well. Bring to a boil and simmer until the flavors have melded and the carrots are soft (they take the longest to cook). You can taste it now but don't have to.

Blend with an immersion blender or a regular blender until it is as smooth as you like. Fancy  restaurants like to strain out the fiber, but that is part of the benefit of this soup. Almost no fat and little salt, no sugar. Return to pot and stir in the cream (or not, but it really makes this soup) and season with salt and pepper. I added my cayenne at this point and was a bit too generous for some palates, but it was still good. Do not boil, but bring to heat and serve. It keeps well in the fridge.

*You can make this into an Indian soup with curry powder. Use coconut milk for sure for this.

Serve with some creme freche or chopped basil and grilled cheese sandwiches.