Zuppa per Setembre

Contrary to its name, this should be eaten thrice weekly for all September AND October. The recipe was from our CSA 4 or 5 years ago, and no fall is complete without it. It takes a while to roast the vegetables, but it's easy.

1 1/2 lbs (about 9) plum tomatoes, cored, quartered and seeded (optional)
1 lb (about 3) red bell peppers, trimmed, quartered and seeded
hot pepper to taste (1/2 tiny red superchili)
2 red or yellow onions, cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic, quartered lengthwise
1 t kosher or sea salt
ground pepper
1 t finely chopped fresh thyme
1 t sweet Hungarian paprika
6 large fresh basil leaves, cut crosswise into fine strips
1/3 c olive oil
2 c best quality chicken broth
1/4 c heavy cream, room temperature

Heat oven to 450. Place tomatoes, peppers, onions and garlic in a single layer in a large roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme, paprika and basil, then drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat evenly. Roast 45 - 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until completely tender and well-browned in places. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. In a blender, work in batches to puree with broth. Reheat over low heat. Stir in cream and heat until warm, not boiling. Top with sourdough croutons.

We prefer crusty bread. After much delicious research, we've found the perfect recipe.