Why rain sets me cooking soup and bread...Roasted vegetable soup and Focaccia, to be specific.
1. Both recipes are so easy to prepare they practically make themselves.
2. My kitchen will smell wonderful all day.
3. I can snack on roasted vegetables for lunch.
4. My family will enter the house, dripping and tired, and immediately know they are loved.
For the soup...
1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths
1 head of cauliflower, chopped
Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. butter
2 medium onion, sliced
3 clover of garlic
2 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
1½ teaspoons Madras curry powder
a splash of cream
Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
1. Put the garlic, carrots, cauliflower and onions on a baking dish in a single layer (without touching) and drizzle them with the olive oil. Toss them to coat well and roast until they are tender, blistered, and lightly browned in a few places, about 1 hour. (you might need to remove the garlic sooner)
2. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Add the roasted vegetables, chicken broth, garlic, salt, pepper, curry powder, nutmeg and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium low and cover, simmering until the vegetables are very tender, about 45 min. Turn off the heat and let cool.
3. You can mash the vegetables or purée the soup as desired. If you’re serving immediately, garnish some chopped chives or a spoonful of heavy cream. Otherwise, put it in the back of your refrigerator. It will only taste better the next day.
& the bread
2 teaspoons rapid-rising dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Cornmeal, for dusting
Topping mixture:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, proof the yeast by combining it with the warm water and sugar. Stir gently to dissolve. Let stand 3 minutes until foam appears. Turn mixer on low and slowly add the flour to the bowl. Dissolve salt in 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the mixture. Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, start to finish.
2. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and fold over a few times. Shape into a round and place in an oiled bowl, turning to coat the entire ball with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
3. Once the dough has doubled, turn it out onto the counter. Roll and stretch into an oblong shape about 1/2-inch thick. Lay the flattened dough on the cornmeal sprinkled pan and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 15 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Uncover the dough and dimple the surface with your fingertips. Brush with a topping mixture and bake on the bottom rack ~ 15 to 20 minutes.
The before...
Your mouth is watering, right?
