Jacques Pépin's French Peasant Soup (Bread & Cheese Soup) for Souper (Soup, Salad, & Sammie) Sundays

Sometimes the simplest things can be the best. This French Peasant Soup, a little recipe 'snippet' from Jacques Pépin's Fast Food My Way uses just five ingredients--broth, bread, cheese, black pepper and thyme, but the result, especially when quality ingredients are used, is absolutely delicious and the perfect comfort food after a long day. When the hot broth is poured over the grilled or toasted bread, the cheese melts, and the thyme and black pepper release their fragrance, it has a certain magnificence from such a humble dish.

I used the last cup of Parmesan Brodo from the freezer, toasted my baguette in a grill pan, and used leftover cave-aged Gruyère. Instead of the chopped chives Chef Pépin suggests, I topped my bowl with a sprinkle of the lemon thyme leaves I had on hand. 
 

Peasant Soup
Adapted from Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pépin

Jacques says, "For this soup like the one my mother used to make, prepare croutons by baking slices of leftover bread in a conventional oven or toaster oven until brown and crisp. Divide the toasted bread among soup bowls, breaking the slices into pieces if they are too large, and grate a generous amount of Gruyère or Jarlsberg on top. Bring a good homemade chicken stock or canned broth to a boil and pour over the croutons and cheese in the bowls. Sprinkle with cracked pepper and a few chopped chives and serve." 

Notes/Results: So quick and easy and so very good. It's hard to resist a bowl of bread covered in melty cheese in a delicious broth. Use a homemade broth if you can. The Parmesan Brodo I used, made from Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds, garlic and herbs, lent extra richness and flavor. An excellent way to use up leftovers and a great bowl of simple soup to eat curled up in your favorite chair with a glass of crisp white wine. I will definitely make this again.

This simple but magnificent soup is linking up to this week's "C'est Magnifique!" theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs once that post goes live. You'll be able to see all the magnificent French dishes that everyone makes by checking out the picture links on the post. 

Let's check out the Souper Sundays kitchen where some good friends and their dishes await.

Shaheen of Allotment2Kitchen is here with a Mexican Inspired Pasta Salad. She says, "This is perhaps one of my favourite cold pasta salad dishes.  I've made it at least 6 time in the past two months, not just because I like it, but because I had picked up a bundle of coriander, of course I had to have a reason. I often make a large batch, to last us for 2 -3 days during the working week; and sometimes to share with family and friends. While it sits in the fridge the jalapeno vinaigrette infuses the pasta further.  Just dig your fork in, you will find it flavourful and zingy." 

Judee of Gluten Free A-Z + Body, Mind, Spirit Health shares this sunny Golden Beet Salad in Citrus Sauce. She says, "My supermarket often carries the organic golden yellow/orange beets which are delightfully flavorful, do not stain the way red beets do, and have a thinner skin which does not need to be peeled. ( but I did anyway).  ... Their golden color makes an appealing dish no matter what the recipe. I like to make mine in a citrus dressing because I think the citrus enhances the taste of the yellow beets. In addition, I like to add some diced organic red apple and some freshly chopped fresh mint."

Thanks to Shaheen and Judee for joining me this week. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the sidebar for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week!