Cut the tops off of the tomatoes and bell peppers and scoop out the seeds. Place them on a sheet pan and broil in an oven, flipping them often so that all sides are soft and charred. Set aside to cool 5 minutes, then remove the skins.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and season with 1 tsp of the salt and sauté  for about 8 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the garlic and continue to cook for about 1 minute longer, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn.

Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Slowly add the broth, stirring so that there are no lumps. Add the tomatoes and red pepper.

Create an herb sachet using the cheesecloth and kitchen twine (cut a piece of cheesecloth large enough to hold the basil, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme and oregano, then join all of the edges at the top, herbs inside, tying off with a piece of kitchen twine).

Add the sachet of herbs to the pot and season with the remaining salt, black pepper and paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes.

Remove the herb sachet then transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. At this point you can either stir in the cream for a uniformly creamy soup, or you can pour about 1/4 c. heavy cream into each finished bowl for a creative swirl. Garnish with leftover fresh herbs, if desired.