Beauty in the Ordinary

This is not about being brilliant, or extraordinary, it's not about wanting to be famous, or making headlines, or trying to impress...this about sharing a 'gift' each day with the world...to lift the spirit of people when they read this blog, to show them the beauty in the ordinary.
"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." Raold Dahl

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Another Night of Soup a La Cro!

Ever since reading Cro Magnon's post on Compost Soup 
(his name, not mine), when the vegetable bin is full of odds and ends
of veggies, I find myself creating this wonderfully delicious nutritious concoction.



Unlike Cro...I omit the duck fat and (sometimes) the tomato paste, but pretty much do it just like Cro.

Tonight began with a sauteed mirepoix (after frying three rashers of cut-up bacon), 
to which I added bits of broccoli, asparagus, red and yellow peppers, garlic and pattypan squash.  I let that all cook down for a few minutes and then 
added a litre and a half of chicken stock and one large potato.

I added freshly ground pepper and  made a bouquet garni of sage, oregano, and thyme from my garden and a healthy tablespoon of dried herbs de provence.




My secret ingredient -  (I think it came from Jacques Pepin - can't quite remember) is to add the heel of a wedge of parmesan cheese...you know, when you have grated it within a hair of your knuckles there is always THAT piece left.  I stick them in a plastic bag in my freezer, and when it comes time to make soup, I just pop one in with the mix!



I brought the whole thing to a boil and let it simmer gently for about 20 minutes until all the vegetables were cooked.  Then took my trusty immersion blender and whipped it all to an almost-but-not-quite-smooth golden yellow pot of nectar!
Important not to over cook here.  You can let the flavours develop over night and reheat the next day, but don't cook the whatnot out of these delicate vegetables!



Add to that toasted bavarian rye bread with a thin, thin, thin layer of smooth
peanut butter, a couple of rashers of bacon and thin, thin, thin slices of gala apple, a healthy handful of alfalfa sprouts and topped with another toasted slice of bavarian rye bread with...you guessed it, a thin, thin, thin layer of smooth
peanut butter, and you have a delicious, nutrious, late summer soup-and-sandwich-supper.



And just in case you were wondering...began everything at 6.30-ish, sitting down with glass of wine in hand ready to eat by 7.30-ish.  Slow food = Good food!


6 comments:

  1. That is probably the BEST recipe ever!
    Will give it a go this weekend!
    Love, love the sandwich with this delicious soup...tks J. and Cro.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's a VERY sophisticated version of my Compost Soup. We're much more bucolic out here in France.

    Bisou, Cro.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That looks so tasty! Can I come for supper?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well, thanks to Cro, it's really simple too V. Give it a go and let me know!
    It's all in the language Cro...at the end of the day, soup, is soup, is soup!
    More than welcome Molly. With your lovely polytunnels, I'm sure you have a version of this too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. A peculiar name for a particular culinary offering. Sorry, but the title scared me away!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I agree Rob Bear...it's far too delicious to call Compost Soup...I prefer Velvet Veggie!

    ReplyDelete

Go on...make my day...

Related Posts with Thumbnails