Potato and Red Pepper Soup

Place the sliced potatoes in a large pot of boiling water to cover. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.

Place the peppers on a baking sheet or metal pie pan. Grill or roast under a preheated broiler, about 4 inches from the heat source. Rotate about every 3 minutes until all sides of the peppers are black and the skin is blistered. Remove the peppers and place in a bowl to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the cores. Cut the peppers into quarters and remove the ribs, seeds, and skins.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over moderate heat. Saute the peppers, onions, and garlic for 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened and slightly golden, stirring often. Crush the thyme and add to the skillet. Add the minced jalapeño or chili peppers. Cook for 2 minutes.

In the container of a food processor or blender, combine half the potatoes, half the red pepper/onion mixture, and half the chicken stock. Process until smooth. Remove, repeat with the remaining potatoes, red pepper/onion mixture, and stock. Combine both batches. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Reheat the soup in a saucepan over moderate heat if serving hot, or chili if preferred cold. If the soup is too thick, adjust consistency by stirring in additional chicken stock or water.