Alfresco dining at Bristling Acres- Summer Pea Soup & Bread

Welcome to Alfresco Dining at Bristling Acres!

We finally get to dine alfresco here at Bristling Acres!

I'm not just talking about weather issues here...it's the BUGS, WASPS, FLIES, MOSQUITOES that make us run back in to the house every summer!

ENOUGH is ENOUGH!

Here's the short story....we found a boxed up gazebo while cleaning out the garage a couple months back. We nearly tossed it out but we spared its life and now it has spared ours! I can't believe we were about to toss it out! I bought the darn gazebo several years ago but we just never got around to setting it up. Now the deck has become our favorite place to dine.

WOO HOO!

I thought I'd share with you a meal we had recently on the deck...Summer Pea Soup from the Simply Recipes food blog and No-Knead Bread (from The New York Times).

Summer Pea Soup (from Simply Recipes):

1. 1 large shallot minced (I'm sure a small onion would work but it won't taste quite the same)
2. 2 Tb butter
3. 2 cups chicken broth
4. 2 sprigs of mint
5. 1 lb frozen petite green peas
6. 1/4 cup heavy cream (I used half & half)
7. salt & pepper to taste
8. Whole milk yogurt to garnish (the recipe called for creme fraiche)

In medium saucepan saute the minced shallots in the butter. Cook until softened but not browned. Add chicken stock and sprigs of mint and bring to a boil. Add frozen peas and salt & pepper to taste. Return to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer until peas are tender (about 5 minutes). Discard the sprigs of mint and puree the soup in a blender. Add the cream and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with yogurt & sprigs of mint. Can be served hot or cold.

No-Knead Bread (this has to be my favorite bread recipe out there! It's incredibly easy & it makes a great crusty bread with chewy insides. You have to plan ahead to make it though):

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp instant yeast (I used Quick Rise Yeast)

1-1/4 tsp salt

1-5/8 cup water

Cornmeal as needed

1. In a large bowl combine the flour, yeast and salt. Add water and stir until blended. Dough will be shaggy & sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap & cotton kitchen towel. Let dough rest for at least 12 hours, preferably 18 hours at warm room temperature (70F).
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. (I've let it go 24 hours & still have gotten wonderful bread). Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with more flour and fold it over once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap & let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface, gently & quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat it with cornmeal and cover loosely with plastic wrap and cotton towel. Let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready the dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least a half- hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450F. Put a 6-to-8 quart heavy covered pot (I use my Le Creuset dutch oven- I wrap the plastic knob on top of the lid with aluminum foil first to protect it from the high heat) in the oven as it heats. When dough is ready carefully remove the pot from the oven. I just carefully dump the dough into the hot pot and shake it to try to evenly distribute it (don't worry...it'll all turn out in the end). Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 10-30 minutes until loaf is browned (mine usually takes less than 10 minutes).
5. Cool on rack. Enjoy!

This bread is so, so, so good! The dough however tastes icky. The first time I made it I thought it wouldn't turn out since the dough tasted yucky. But it did! It's turned out well every time I've made it...which I can't say for some other breads I've made.....

Be sure to check out Balancing Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday posts for other yummy ideas!