White Soda Bread
January 31, 2011
A quick late-night/early morning fix. Made a soda bread loaf with water because I was short on ingredients and starving. Turned out okay, though it was a bit pale in color (is this why all soda bread recipes call for milk or some sort of dairy?). Pulled fresh from the oven at 5AM, the crust was thick and crunchy and the inside of the bread was warm and gooey. Couldn't resist smothering it with some butter. Went well with my chickpea and tomato soup. A bit of a detour from bread today...
Chickpea and Tomato Soup
January 30, 2011
Soak some chickpeas overnight and rinse with cold water; drain after rinsing. Heat oil (I used grapeseed for its neutral flavor) in dutch oven or cast iron casserole. When oil is hot, add chunks of pork belly and garlic, seasoning a bit with salt - cook until pork develops a crispy edge and there are bits of pork stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add some savoy cabbage and a bit of celery to the mix, seasoning again with salt. After cabbage wilts down, add chickpeas and a can of tomatoes. Add another two cups of water or stock, and simmer it down for at least 20 minutes - the flavor develops with time. If you want to simmer long and slow, make sure the pork is covered in liquid, or it will become dry and unpalatable. Season to taste. I also add merken and some red chiles. Works well with Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano.
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