Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup / Potato Cauliflower Casserole

This post is all about how I make choices. Yeah … it’s not one of my strengths. But I would say that in this case, my culinary ambivalence brings you a double portion of goodies and a double portion of photos and that can never be wrong!

Fortunately, in the kitchen, unlike some life situations, the ingredients don`t exclude but complement each other. Thus my hesitation to choose between tomatoes or roasted peppers flavored soup led to a delicious combination, which, for some reason, was in my mind long before I tasted. A sort of culinary intuition. Do not laugh! I began to realize that food has a kind of soul / consciousness / intelligence of its own. If you “listen” to ingredients, you get wonderful dishes. Food “communicates” through color, texture, smell … But surely you know this because you love food. And I know you love food! Otherwise you would not be here reading this.

Tomato and roasted red pepper soup is wonderful! It’s a soup for those rainy days when all you want is something warm and comforting. Don`t tell me that the smell of roasted peppers doesn`t trigger childhood memories and pleasant feelings of comfort and warmth! Maybe it’s a hidden power of the oven. I just baked about three quarters of ingredients recipes today. Or perhaps a hidden need to mark the end of winter with gratitude towards her kindness in these last days.

I like to think that food has it soul. I like to think that my food chooses the way it wants to be photographed. I like to think that whatever. And I really think that I`m just listening. The food knows best. I am just beginning to discover it.

Tomato and roasted red peppers soup

2 red peppers

2 tomatoes

4 potatoes

1 onion

2 carrots

1 head of garlic (baked)

1 cup homemade tomato sauce

basil, thyme, rosemary

1 tbsp sugar

salt and pepper

•   Bake peppers over high heat and let them cool, covered, so it will be easy to clean them.
•   Peel 3 potatoes dice them and put them in a pan with 2 tablespoons of oil, salt and some rosemary sprinkled over. Cook them in the oven until nicely browned.
•   Meanwhile, put the remaining potato, carrots, tomatoes and onion to a boil. Add tomato sauce, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper.
•   When vegetables are cooked, remove them from the water (do not throw the water) and blend them with the baked garlic and some fresh basil leaves. Put the puree over the water in witch vegetables were boiled, add the baked potatoes and the baked red peppers, cleaned and cut cubes or strips. Let it boil just 2-3 more minutes! Patience you’ve endured will be rewarded with a creamy and flavorful soup!

This simple, fragrant dish was born of my inability to choose between baked potatoes or baked cauliflower. So, I just refused to choose! I wanted both and in friendship and tolerance they cooked. They sat quietly, placed side by side, discreetly borrowing tastes one from another. No spoon can resist to this!

Potato Cauliflower Casserole

1 medium cauliflower

4-5 potatoes

1 ½ cup sour cream

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

thyme, salt, pepper

200 grams mozzarella

2-3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp breadcrumbs

• Peel the potatoes and cut them into slices. Separate cauliflower into florets, wash it and cut into slices each floret. Put 2-3 tbsp of oil in the tray and place one layer of potatoes, then a layer of cauliflower.
• Add sliced onion, chopped garlic, thyme and cream among them. Put mozzarella on top and sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese.
• Cover with aluminum foil and leave in the oven until the potatoes are almost cooked. Remove the pan, sprinkle the breadcrumbs and leave in the oven, uncovered, until nicely browned on top.

I wish you to find joy in simple and tasty dishes!

See you again soon!