Yellow Pepper Soup With Lime

• 4 pounds yellow bell peppers, washed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound onions, finely chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 or 2 tiny hot red chilies, trimmed, seeded and chopped
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in one-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons very, very finely sliced kaffir lime leaves
• 6 holy basil leaves, plus 6 to 8 sprigs for garnish
• 2 stalks lemon grass, trimmed, and bulb thinly sliced
• 3 pints vegetable stock
• Salt to taste
• 6 to 8 tablespoons heavy cream for garnish
• 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and cut into very small dice for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Place peppers on baking sheets, and roast until their skins turn dark brown; turn to brown all sides, about 40 minutes.
3. Remove, place peppers in plastic bag and seal.
4. Allow to steam at least 10 minutes; skins will come off easily.
5. Stem, seed and remove seeds, but save the juices.
6. Melt butter in a pot large enough to hold the remaining ingredients.
7. Cook onion, garlic and chilies over low heat so that they don't brown but soften.
8. Add sweet potato, lime leaves, basil, lemon grass and stock.
9. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
10. Combine the peppers and their juices with the sweet potato mixture off the heat.
11. Puree in a blender, in batches, until smooth.
12. Season with salt.
13. Refrigerate if desired.
14. To serve, reheat slowly and garnish with tomato and a spoonful of heavy cream dropped in the center of the soup and a sprig of basil.

yellow bell peppers, unsalted butter, onions, garlic, red chilies, sweet potatoes, very, basil, lemon grass, vegetable stock, salt, heavy cream, tomato

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8674 (may not work)