Roasted Vegetable Soup Adaptable to 2 Tone Soup

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil (or olive oil non-stick spray)
• 2 tomatoes
• sliced 1-inch thick
• 1 small eggplant
• sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 large red bell pepper
• cored and quartered
• 1 onion
• sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 4 garlic cloves
• minced
• 6 cups vegetable stock or 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil
• chopped
• 1 dash salt
• 1 dash pepper
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• sour cream
• for garnish (optional)
• yogurt
• for garnish (optional)
• parsley
• for garnish (optional)
• cilantro
• for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Brush vegetables with olive oil (or spray with cooking spray) to coat on all sides; season with salt, pepper.
2. Broil vegetables on rack closest to broiler element.
3. Broil until vegetables are tender but not burned, about 4 minutes for the tomatoes and 10-12 minutes more for eggplant, red pepper and onion.
4. (OPTION: vegetables may be grilled instead.
5. ).
6. In a 5-quart pot, saute the garlic over medium heat with a teaspoon of olive oil.
7. When garlic is golden, add vegetables, stock, basil and cayenne.
8. Heat to boiling, then lower heat and cook 4 to 6 minutes.
9. Puree mixture in batches in a blender until soup reaches desired consistency.
10. Garnish as desired, with sour cream, yogurt, parsley, whatever.