Sweet Pepper and Chorizo Soup

• 4 Red Peppers
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 50g Chorizo slices, snipped
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 clove Garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp Tomato Purée
• 600ml Chicken Stock
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh Oregano leaves
• Sugar to taste
• Salt
• freshly ground black Pepper

For the garnish:

• 4 slices Chorizo, lightly fried on each side
• sprigs of Basil or Oregano

Heat the oven to Gas Mark 6/200°C.

Place the peppers, just as they are, in a roasting tin and bake them for 25–30 mins until charred and soft.

Remove the peppers from the oven and carefully transfer them to a polythene bag.

Seal and leave them to cool until cold enough to handle. When cool, peel the skins away and remove the seeds. Save the precious juices to add to the soup with the stock.

Roughly chop the flesh.

Heat the oil in a large lidded saucepan and add the chorizo, onion and garlic. Fry until golden and the onion has softened, about 4–5 mins.

Add the chopped peppers and stir for 1 minute.

Blend in the tomato purée, stock, oregano and sugar. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20 mins.

Cool the soup slightly before liquidising to a purée.

Return to the rinsed out pan and re-heat gently.

Adjust seasoning.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, float a chorizo slice on each serving and garnish with basil or oregano.