Handful of sliced or chopped raw vegetables (like asparagus, mushrooms, summer squash, chard, or fennel)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or more to taste
Salt and pepper
Chopped chives for garnish
Instructions
Peel the garlic and lightly crush the cloves on a cutting board with the flat side of a knife. Put 2 cups water in a small pot with the garlic, bay leaf, and cheese rind if you’re using it. Bring to a boil, turn the heat so the soup bubbles gently, and cover. Cook, stirring once or twice, while you get everything else ready.
Put 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, brown the bread slices, turning once, for a total of about 5 minutes. If you haven’t done so already, grate the cheese and prepare the vegetables. After the soup has been simmering for at least 10 minutes, add the vegetables to the pot with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Return the soup to a boil, then remove the pot from the heat.
To serve, remove the bay leaf and cheese rind (if you used it) put the bread in a shallow bowl and top with the grated cheese. Ladle the soup into the bowl, drizzle with a few more drops of olive oil, and garnish with the chives.
– Recipe developed by The Bittman Project for Bob’s Red Mill