Thank you to the most awesome Spedwybabs for letting me guest host this Sunday!
I have been on somewhat of a bread baking kick, along with some fellow kossacks, for more than a few months now. Other than a spoon, what goes better with soup than a delicious hot hunk of bread!
the possibilities are endless...
I am going to start with the meal that I made for my family last night, cheddar broccoli in a bread bowl. For the bread, I used the following recipe from allrecipes.com:
* 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
* 2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 7 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon cornmeal
* 1 egg white
* 1 tablespoon water
Directions
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Add salt, oil and 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture; beat well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at medium speed after each addition.
3. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.
4. Punch dough down, and divide into 8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a 4 inch round loaf. Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, beat together egg white and 1 tablespoon water; lightly brush the loaves with half of this egg wash.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Brush with remaining egg mixture, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.
7. To make bowls: Cut a 1/2 inch thick slice from top of each loaf; scoop out centers, leaving 3/4-inch-thick shells. Fill bread bowls with hot soup and serve immediately.
I left off the egg wash because my son doesn't like when the bread is shiny - don't ask me why. :) Also, the bowls were a little flatter than I would have liked, but they were very tasty and we just refilled them once for a more than adequate meal.
Now on to the soup! I usually use recipes that are light to begin with, or I adapt it to have less calories and saturated fat if it has too much. I have made the Broccoli Cheese soup from Cooking Light magazine several times, and each time I tweak it a little. Last night I frizzled some onions for a garnish and, and used some of the leftover oil in the recipe.
Ingredients
* canola oil
* 2 medium onions, 1 thinly sliced, 1 chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 1/2 cups fat-free low-sodium chicken broth or low-sodium low-fat vegetable broth
* 1 (16 ounce) package broccoli florets
* 2 1/2 cups skim milk
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
Directions
- Frizzle the sliced onions in the canola oil. Drain well and set aside. Save just enough of the oil to barely cover the bottom of a large saucepan.
- Heat the oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic; saute 10 minutes or until tender. Add broth and broccoli. Bring broccoli mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes.
- Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in pepper. Remove from heat.
- Place one-third of the soup in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return pureed soup mixture to pan and serve, and add most of the shredded cheese, saving some for garnish, and stir until melted.
- Ladle into bread bowls, and top with the frizzled onions and a sprinkle of the cheese.
I have a few more ideas that I have either tried or have wanted to try and will do so one day. For example, how about a steaming hot bowl of French Onion Soup with a thick slice of Gruyere Stuffed Bread alongside it instead of bread and cheese on top.
French Onion Soup
* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 4 cups thinly vertically sliced Walla Walla or other sweet onion
* 4 cups thinly vertically sliced red onion
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup dry white wine
* 8 cups less-sodium beef broth
* 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Preparation
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium; cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high, and sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is golden brown. Stir in wine, and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours.
Gruyere-Stuffed Crusty Loaves
Starter
* 1 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
* 1/2 cup cool water
Dough
* all of the starter
* 1 cup + 2 tablespoons to 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water*
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon Pizza Dough Flavor (optional)
* 3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
* 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
* *Use the greater amount of water in winter, when conditions are dry; and the lesser amount in summer, when the weather is humid.
Filling
* 2 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese, or the grated/shredded cheese of your choice (sharp cheddar, or a mixture of provolone and mozzarella are tasty)
* 1 tablespoon garlic oil (optional)
* 1 tablespoon pizza seasoning (optional)
Starter
* 5 1/4 ounces King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
* 4 ounces cool water
Dough
* all of the starter
* 9 ounces to 10 ounces lukewarm water*
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon Pizza Dough Flavor (optional)
* 14 3/4 ounces King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
* 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
* *Use the greater amount of water in winter, when conditions are dry; and the lesser amount in summer, when the weather is humid.
Filling
* 10 ounces grated Gruyère cheese, or the grated/shredded cheese of your choice (sharp cheddar, or a mixture of provolone and mozzarella are tasty)
* 1 tablespoon garlic oil (optional)
* 1 tablespoon pizza seasoning (optional)
Directions
- To make the starter: Mix the 1 1/4 cups flour, salt, yeast, and 1/2 cup water in a medium-sized bowl. Mix till well combined; the starter will be very dry. Cover and let rest overnight at room temperature; it'll become bubbly.
- To make the dough: Combine the risen starter with the water, salt, flour, and yeast. Knead—by hand, mixer, or bread machine set on the dough cycle—to make a smooth dough.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, till it's nearly doubled in bulk.
- Gently deflate the dough, and pat and stretch it into a 3/4"-thick rectangle, about 9" x 12". Spritz with water, and sprinkle with the grated cheese.
- Starting with a long side, roll it into a log, pinching the seam to seal. Place the log, seam-side down, on a lightly floured or lightly oiled surface.
- Cover it and let it rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, till it's puffy though not doubled in bulk. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Gently cut the log into four crosswise slices, for mini-breads; or simply cut the dough in half, for two normal-sized loaves. Place them on one (for two loaves) or two (for four mini-loaves) lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets, cut side up. Spread them open a bit, if necessary, to more fully expose the cheese. Spritz with warm water, and immediately place them in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes (for the mini-loaves), or 35 minutes (for the full-sized loaves), or until the cheese is melted and the loaves are a very deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.
Tomato Soup and Focaccia are a fantastic pairing!
Creamy Tomato-Basil Bisque
Vegetarian Times Issue: September 1, 2009 p.28 — Member Rating: 1111
"Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes aren’t tinny-tasting like some canned varieties," says Beverly Lynn Bennett, author of Vegan Bites and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Cooking. Fire roasted over natural hardwood, they have a sweet, smoky flavor that's great in soup.
Ingredient List
Serves 8
* 1 Tbs. olive oil
* 1 small onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
* 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
* 2 28-oz. cans Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
* 2 tsp. sugar
* 1 tsp. balsamic or sherry vinegar
* 1 tsp. dried basil
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
* 1/3 cup half-and-half or soy creamer
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, for garnish
Directions
- Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, basil, bay leaf, and broth. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
- Purée soup in blender or food processor until smooth. Strain through fine mesh strainer into saucepan; return to simmer. Remove from heat, and stir in half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with basil
Easiest Focaccia
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45
degrees C)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1.)In a small bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2.)In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with flour; stir well to combine. Stir in additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all of the flour is absorbed. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly for about 1 minute.
3.)Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
4.)Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
5.)Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface; knead briefly. Pat or roll the dough into a sheet and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush the dough with oil and sprinkle with salt.
6.)Bake focaccia in preheated oven for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on desired crispness. If you like it moist and fluffy, then you'll have to wait just about 10 minutes. If you like it crunchier and darker in the outside, you may have to wait 20 minutes.
Here are some more ideas:
Black bean soup and Beer Bread
Cheese Soup and Pretzel Bread
Cauliflower Soup (by special request) with Cheese and Rosemary Breadsticks
Vanilla Melon soup with Blueberry Scones.
Finally, I had to include this one that combines the bread and soup right in the bowl:
This dish is one way to take advantage of the beginning of tomato-and-basil season. Looked at carefully, it’s quite familiar — fresh tomato sauce over bread instead of pasta — but the eating experience is completely different. It’s good at room temperature, which is how it is sometimes served in Italy, and it’s not even bad cold, like a thick gazpacho.
Tomato Soup With Bread (Pappa al Pomodoro)
Yield 4 servings
Time 30 minutes
Mark Bittman
Summary
The tomatoes must be ultra-ripe and meaty; the bread dense and flavorful; the basil aromatic. Ideally, you'll peel and seed the tomatoes, but this is a step you can skip if you're pressed for time or feeling lazy.
Ingredients
* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 1 large onion, sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
* 1 dried red chili, optional
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3 cups cored, peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
* 2 cups stock, or strained tomato liquid, or water, or a combination, warmed
* 1/2 loaf (or more) day-old French or Italian bread, torn or cut into cubes
* 1/2 cup torn or roughly chopped basil leaves
Method
* 1. Put oil in a large, deep saucepan or casserole and turn heat to medium. A minute later, add onion, garlic and dried chili, if using. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant and golden and onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
* 2. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes break up, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add liquid, stir in bread and simmer for a minute more.
* 3. Take pot off heat, check seasonings and let sit until bread is saturated with soup, about 10 minutes.
* 4. Check seasonings, stir in basil, portion soup into bowls, and garnish with a drizzle of oil and more freshly ground black pepper.
Thank you so much for reading!! Soup it up!