The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread...

When I was little, my mother told me to never throw away bread. I don't remember whether she meant that this was a bad omen, or just didn't want me to be wasteful, but it kind of stuck with me. Today, I continue the practice for my own reasons; sometimes I think about starving children in third world countries, and sometimes I just can't bring myself to throw out something as beautiful and profound as bread.

Yesterday, I made brioche french toast for my cookbook photo shoot, and was left with mounds of brioche scraps. Now I would be perfectly content just snacking on these scraps all week, but something told me to take this rich, buttery, sweet bread to the next level. I made bread pudding - a dessert that, in my opinion, can  be a vestibule for any sort of flavors. My flavors of choice were chocolate and hazelnuts...mmm.

With the help of some milk and eggs, I was able to make this decadent dessert between burping and changing baby Zelli.

Here's what I used:
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
3 tbsp honey 
2 cups whole milk
3 eggs
3 1/2 cups brioche bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (you can use hallah bread as well) 
butter, as needed (for greasing)

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler: Fill a heavy saucepan with 3 inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Place chopped chocolate into a medium bowl, and rest bowl on top of saucepan. Stir occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the chopped hazelnuts and honey. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Add bread and cooled chocolate mixture. Stir to coat all of the bread cubes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 1/2 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a rectangular or oval baking pan. Pour soaked bread into pan, making sure to get all of the liquid from the bottom of the bowl.  

Place pan into a large roasting pan, and fill roasting pan with water to reach halfway up the sides of the smaller pan. Bake 30-35 minutes, until top is set, but not too firm. Serve warm or room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.

Soup's On

Spiced Carrot Soup   

Desperately trying to warm up on a cold day, I found myself going to my refrigerator for refuge. By juggling some ingredients that are always in my fridge and pantry, I was able to concoct a delicious, soul-warming soup.

A velvety blend of vegetables and bold, aromatic spices, this soup can be a light option (if that's what you need it to be) or a decadent, rich, robust, and incredibly satisfying option (if that's what you want it to be).

         

                                                                (Yield: 5-6 servings)

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 medium carrots, peeled & roughly chopped

1 parsnip, peeled and roughly chopped

3 medium leeks, (white parts only) roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic

6 cups chicken stock (you may use vegetable stock)

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon coriander

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chives, chopped (for garnish)

Procedure:

1.   In a medium stockpot, heat the oil briefly over medium-low heat, and add next 3 ingredients. Sweat vegetables for 2-3 minutes then add garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and curry powder. Stir to coat vegetables with spice mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes.

2.   Add chicken stock. When soup comes to a boil, skim off any foam that floats to the top. Reduce heat to low, and cover pot with lid. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until vegetables are tender.

3.   Remove pot from heat, and blend the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth (you may also use a conventional blender). Once soup is blended, return to heat and add the heavy cream. Cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with chives and a sprinkle of smoked paprika (optional).