The Rice and Pea Soup (p163) is an uncomplicated meal-in-a-bowl that comes together fairly quickly. As written, this recipe came out more as a risotto for me, but you could certainly increase the amount of vegetable broth to create a more soupy consistency. I was a tad disappointed at first, but then I just let the soup do its thing, and since arborio rice is used anyway, it works out nicely. This is not a big and bold soup. It's a simple and subtle dish that, though not my usual flavor type, provided a filling meal. Extra salt and fresh ground pepper really got it going for me, especially on Day Two, after everything had hung out in the fridge overnight. The only modification I made was adding a bit of Bill's Chik'nish to the base.
I served this along with the Quick Herb Bread (p399), which is true to its name in that it is quick to put together. One bowl is all you need, and the herbs are variable. You could certainly go with this recipe as written, substitute your favorites, or alter the flavor based on cuisine. It reminds me of an herb bread I make often using my bread machine, only this takes about five minutes to put together and 40 minutes to bake. Toasted, it's even better.
One ladle of soup, one slice of bread (slathered in Earth Balance of course), and a side salad made for a super hearty and satisfying meal. Overall, we all enjoyed this meal, but its subtle flavor was definitely more suited to my grandmother. I do like the idea of using arborio rice for a soup because you get a bit of creaminess without added fat. And this soup method yields a risotto-like dish, but without all that stirring!
--The Divine Miss V
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as the days become colder i've been craving soup more often. i may have to try this one. nice work!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great way to use that arborio rice I have hanging out in the back of the cabinet without the production of risotto!
ReplyDeleteA little late after the original post, but I had to say that this is one of my favorite soups now! I thought it was good when I first tried it - but not spectacular - but now it's become something like a childhood food I never had. I love its simplicity.
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