Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup with Smoky Caprese Panini

• 2 large red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 small celery stalks, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 (28-ounce) can or 2 (15-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 8 slices Tuscan bread
• 1-pound ball of freshly smoked mozzarella, cut into 16 thin slices
• 1 large ripe tomato, cut into 8 thin slices
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1. Char the peppers on all sides over an open flame on a gas stovetop or under a hot broiler (with the oven door cracked to avoid steam buildup in the oven).
2. Place the charred peppers in a bowl, cover, and let them rest until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat the EVOO in a soup pot.
4. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, and onions to the pot and season with salt and pepper.
5. Cook to soften the vegetables for 10 minutes, then place in a food processor with the diced tomatoes.
6. Seed and peel the peppers and add to the processor.
7. Puree the mixture until smooth, then add back to the soup pot and stir in the stock.
8. Heat a large heavy skillet or panini press.
9. Make sandwiches with 2 slices of cheese on each slice of bread and 2 slices of ripe tomato per sandwich, seasoned with salt and pepper and some torn basil.
10. Stack the sammies together and add to the hot skillet or press.
11. If using a skillet, top with a second smaller pan and weight the pan down with heavy cans.
12. Press the sandwiches to toast and melt the cheese, a few minutes on each side or 5 minutes in a hot press.
13. Serve the soup with the sammies.

red bell peppers, evoo, garlic, carrot, celery stalks, onion, salt, tomatoes, chicken, bread, freshly smoked mozzarella, tomato, fresh basil

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roasted-red-pepper-tomato-soup-with-smoky-caprese-panini-377460 (may not work)