‘nice’I thought I’d found the ultimate newstalgic dish a few days back… 3 ingredients plus one great, twisty update! I was wrong. Enter, ‘nice’ Gordon Ramsay and his 1-ingredient Broccoli Soup. I defy anyone to get more Newstalgic than this! Everybody ready?
I know you’re just champing at the bit to find out how Ramsay – or anybody, for that matter – can make soup with Just One Ingredient… I was too, when I first read about this one…
A matter of interpretation?
SO… The first thing I asked myself was… “Is this REALLY a 1-ingredient soup?” I guess it’s all in how you view ingredients versus ‘kitchen fundamentals’. Such as, for instance, salt and pepper. Are they ingredients, or do they transcend the ingredient list an become universal culinary p0resences. If that’s the case, water also deserves to be there, right beside them, in a place of honour, where it’s always at hand…
Given that water is not an ingredient, but a universal kitchen presence…
The one ingredient is…
Broccoli, of course. But not just any broccoli. Ramsay wants you to search a little farther than you might usually, in your superarket’s produce cases, for the ‘perfect’ head.
“If you’re feeling tempted to give it a try, seek out a head of broccoli around 5 pounds that has dark green, tight florets,” specifies Karla Walsh, who interpreted this dish from an early season of Ram-say’s first British TV series. “Grab a large pot, salt, and black pepper, and you’re all set.”
Trim off just the florets from the broccoli head, and cut them down into consistent-sized pieces about 2 cm across. Cover with water and boil – don’t simmer – until they’re fork tender; ‘about 5 minutes’. “Boiling the broccoli quickly and with the lid on intensifies its color and preserves its flavor,” Ramsay explains.
When the broccoli is done, drain the cooking water off into a clean bowl. “This liquid is essentially broccoli stock,” Ramsay observes. “And that, to me, is the secret ingredient in the dish.”
A critical step…
Now it’s time to purée the cooked broccoli in a bar/smoothie blender, using just enough of the cook-ing water to produce the bright green colour and creamy texture as shown in the video embedded above, centre.
Purée in small batches that won’t overburden or overfill the blender. You don’t want to keep the ma-chine from giving the broc the best possible buzz. Nor do you want to risk blowing the lid off it, as you buzz at the highest possible speed, covered with a towel, and held on securely with your ‘off’ hand (the left for most of us).
Now… Go ahead and newstalgise!
Walsh contributes the following ideas, to get you started: “Reddit users suggested caramelizing half a leek or adding a scoop of frozen peas for a subtle layer of sweetness, which I can’t wait to try next.”
“Some of Ramsay’s favorite ways to serve it include topping with toasted walnuts, sliced goat cheese rounds, and a drizzle of olive oil. And don’t forget the crusty bread,” she tells us.
My take
“As far as the garnishes go, options abound,” Walsh enthuses, as her imagination shifts its way up, into high gear. “For some creaminess, try a sprinkling of crumbled feta or blue cheese, or a spoonful of Greek yogurt or tzatziki. Add some flavored oyster crackers, popcorn, Parmesan crisps, bacon bits, or homemade mushroom chips for a little crunch. Or, top with a poached or soft-boiled egg for extra protein.”
If that doesn’t kick your newstalgising gland into overdrive, I don’t know what would!
~ Maggie J.