Pureed Potato and Broccoli Soup With Parmesan Croutons

What to do when the spring weather has suddenly turned to winter again? Instead of being sad by the rain and cold, I made soup. I love when summer comes around but that means I have to say goodbye to hot soup, one of my favorite entrees. So when I woke up to a wet and cold day, I took advantage of it and made probably my last bowl of hot soup for the season.


The soup I chose to make came from the New York Times Recipes for Health. I recently discovered this gem of a web site. If you have never looked at it, take a moment and peruse over the many recipes it has for healthy meals. It truly is my new best friend. So don't be surprise to see me making many dishes from the web site.

Now I know the Purred Broccoli and Potato soup with Parmesan croutons has the funky green color that may scare some people away, but once you get past the color it truly is a silky, garlicky and creamy soup. Even my nine year old who has a hard time eating foods of this color loved the soup. The garlicky toasted croutons might have done the trick.




Pureed Potato and Broccoli Soup With Parmesan Croutons
Adapted from the New York Times


2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 leeks, white and light green only, sliced and cleaned

3 garlic cloves, chopped, plus 1 small clove, cut in half

Salt, preferably kosher salt, salt to taste

2 pounds starchy potatoes (russets or Yukon gold), peeled and cut in large dice

A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf and 2 sprigs each parsley and thyme

2 quarts of chicken stock

1 pound broccoli crowns, coarsely chopped

Freshly ground pepper to taste

12 thin slices baguette or country bread

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Heat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat and add the chopped onions. Cook, stirring until translucent.

Add garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt, cook, stirring until fragrant.

Add the leeks, potatoes, bouquet garni, chicken stock and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook covered for 30 minutes. Add broccoli and turn up the heat to bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and cook uncovered until broccoli is tender but still bright. Remove the bouquet garni.

Blend the soup in batches with a blender or with a hand blender. Be sure to cover the blender top with a towel to avoid being splash by the hot soup.

Pour purred soup through a strainer. Use the back of a ladle to push the soup through. Return to the soup pot and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly rub each slice of bread with the cut garlic. Top with grated Parmesan Cheese and toast under a broiler or toaster oven until cheese has melted. Watch carefully as bread can quickly burn.

Serve the soup with two toasted croutons.

No-knead overnight parmesan and thyme rolls

Who doesn't love bread dough you can throw in a pan and not kneed it? I love that the dough can be made the day ahead. The drawback- you have to wait a day to enjoy the rolls, but it is so worth the effort.

I loved how these rolls made my house smell like a pizzeria while they baked. I can have my kitchen smelling like a pizzeria anytime of the day and week. Seriously. I could really live off of pizza. I know my kids wished we did.

These rolls also make really good sandwiches. If they cool before you can eat them, they can be reheated in the microwave for 8-12 seconds.







No-Knead Overnight Parmesan and Thyme Rolls
Adapted from Cooking Light April 2010

I used whole-wheat flour in place of the whole-wheat white flour. The dough is more like a thick batter so do not add more all-purpose flour than what is called or the rolls will come out dry.


1/2 teaspoon dry yeast

2 tablespoon warm water (100 to 110 degrees)

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/3 cup 2% reduced -fat milk

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1.1 ounces whole-wheat white flour (about 1/4 cups)

5.6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups), divided

cooking spray

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1. Dissolve yeast in 2 tablespoons warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add thyme to pan; cook 1 minute or until bubbly and fragrant. Add thyme mixture and milk to yeast mixture, stirring with a whisk; add 1/4 cup cheese, sugar, salt, and egg, stirring well.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon whole-wheat white flout into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife, Using a wooden spoon, stir whole-wheat white flour into yeast mixture, Weigh or lightly spoon 4.5 ounces (about 1 cup) all-purpose flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add enough of remaining all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to form a smooth, but very sticky dough. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. Remove dough from refrigerator. Do not punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a floured surface; sprinkle dough lightly with flour. Roll dough into a 12x7-inch rectangle. Brush dough with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese evenly over dough; sprinkle with pepper.
Beginning with a long side, roll up dough jelly-roll fashion. Pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll). Cut roll into 8 (1 1/2-inch) slices. Place slices, cut sides up, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour or until rolls have risen slightly.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

6. Place pan in oven, and immediately reduce heat to 375 degrees. Bake rolls at 375 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Yield: 8 rolls