Ingredient Spotlight. Our Garlic Infused Olive Oil is the backbone here: mellow, savory, and rounded, with none of the harsh bite of raw garlic. It roasts the peppers, builds the base, and toasts the sandwiches, so one warm garlicky note runs through the whole meal.
Ingredients
6 red bell peppers, halved and seeded
6 Tbsp Garlic Infused Olive Oil (divided)
1 yellow onion, diced · 2 Tbsp garlic, minced
8 cups vegetable broth · 5 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup heavy cream · 1 Tbsp paprika · salt and pepper
Heat oven to 400°F. Toss the peppers with 2 Tbsp Garlic oil and roast on a lined sheet, cut-side down, 15 minutes, until the edges char.
In a large pot, warm 2 Tbsp Garlic oil over low heat and soften the onion and garlic, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and broth, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and purée smooth with an immersion blender. Stir in the cream and paprika; season.
For the sandwiches, brush the pumpernickel with the last of the Garlic oil, fill with gouda and gruyère, and griddle until golden and molten. Cut into bat shapes with a cookie cutter.
Ladle the soup into bowls and finish each with a raw thread of Garlic oil. Serve with the bats for dunking.
Chef's Notes
Char the peppers well — those dark edges are where the smoky depth lives.
Rolling the bread thin gives you crispier, cleaner cutter shapes.
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