SOUP OF BROCCOLI AND BREAD
This is a very simple soup and requires minimal amount of time. Its flavor is mainly built on broccoli, but is also enhanced by pastrami and garlic with a small dose of chili pepper. If you don't want to use bread in the soup then take potatoes or some pasta instead.
4 servings:
500 g/1 lb broccoli
4 slices of bread, cut into dices
3 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 red chili peppers, chopped
100 g/3 oz pastrami, chopped
50 g/1.7 oz grated parmesan cheese
salt, pepper to season
First cook the broccoli for about 5 minutes in lightly salted water. Then remove them from water and put directly into ice-cold water. Save the cooking water since it contains a lot of broccoli flavor! If you wish to add a stock cube to the water then go ahead, although I personally don't like stock cubes. In a new pan, sauté garlic, chili pepper, and pastrami in olive oil on moderate heat for 2 minutes. Add broccoli and let it cook in there for another 5 minutes. Then add the broccoli water and bread, and let it all heat up. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the soup garnished with some parmesan cheese and if you have - a really good olive oil.