Soup and Bread - the Ultimate Comfort Food

It’s officially day 1 of the Minnesota Stay at Home order although we’ve been keeping away from the masses for a couple weeks now. We’re keeping busy, this week we finished a hard 1000 piece puzzle and we have another one on deck. I finally took the last one apart and put it in the box. I’ve also been taking advantage of the nice weather we’ve had the past couple days and have been reading out on the deck - the sunshine feels good. Cleaning - it can wait.

Cooking has always been relaxing; it’s my creative outlet and these days it gives me a sense of calm - the thing I don’t have in other places. Dan’s been benefitting too and I haven’t gotten any complaints on that end either. Yesterday I tried my hand at bread - the real kind not from the machine - granted it was the no-knead variety but it was the perfect compliment to the Broccoli and Cauliflower soup.

I had some fresh broccoli and cauliflower in the fridge and I was looking for some comfort food and for me comfort = soup. 

Broccoli Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients;

2 cups broccoli florets, chopped small and rinsed

3 cups cauliflower florets, chopped small and rinsed

1 cup carrot, diced ( optional for low-carb, keto diet)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups (1,5l) vegetable broth

1 (15oz – 420g) can diced tomatoes, drained (or 4 tomatoes, diced)

1 tablespoon Italian dried herbs

1 can white beans

A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Instructions:

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant about 2 minutes. Add carrot and cook stirring occasionally for 2 – 3 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, Italian herbs, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to combine all of the flavors together.

Stir in the rinsed broccoli and cauliflower florets and the white beans and continue to simmer gently until cooked through but still crunchy, approx. 5 minutes.

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, garnish with parmesan and fresh parsley and serve!

No-Knead Bread

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups room temperature water - approx 110 degrees

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, add flour, salt, and yeast. Pour in water, use a wooden spatula to combine. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit on your counter for 5 to 12 hours. 

When ready to bake your bread, preheat oven to 450 F degrees. Add cast iron dutch oven (with the lid on) to the oven, so it preheats along with the oven itself.

Flour your hands, counter/cutting board, and sprinkle some flour over the top of the dough itself.  Remove dough from bowl and shape it into a rough ball shape. Drop ball of dough into the preheated pot, cover with the lid and return to oven.

Bake, with the lid on, for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crusty.

Bread should remove easily from the pot, so take the bread out and let cool completely before slicing.

Stay home, stay safe and check on your friends and neighbors. Thanks for stopping by!