Here is an idea that I regularly make every year for Halloween. It is hilariously fun to make, incidentally is also nutritious and delicious. It is a good way to sneak fresh vegetables of any kind into the soup. Even the most picky kids will love it.
I use Dashi style Broth because is tasty and clear. Also the BLACK pasta is plant based and colored with Charcoal. If your kids are super tasters you can definitely use Squid Ink,
Halloween BOO-dle SOUP
The recipe per se is more a set of instructions. Nothing fancy You will need:
For Each Kid
1 large carrot
2 T frozen peas and corn EACH
1/4 C frozen green beans or vegetables of choice
Dashi Style Broth (see below)
Homemade pasta dough (see below)
a round cookie cutter . About 2 ” diameter
a cookie cutter in the shape of a bat or spider or anything with an Halloween theme
1- Make the pasta dough enough for 2 kids
1/2 C of semolina
1/2 C AP flour
1 T Coconut Charcoal or Bamboo Charcoal
Enough warm water to create a cohesive dough, not too soft.
The key here is to knead the dough until is smooth. About 10 to 15 minutes.
Cover with a bowl and let rest for 30 minutes
Meanwhile…….
2- Start by “carving” the slices of carrot to resemble a pumpkin
Peel the carrots and cut off their tops. Place the carrots on a cutting board and cut two short vertical lines into the tops of each carrot, about ¼ inch from one another; the cuts should go about ⅓ of the way through the carrots’ diameters and should extend the length of the carrots
Next make two diagonal cuts into the tops of the carrots that intersect the first two cuts, creating long, triangle-shaped strips that, when removed, create pumpkin shapes when you look at cross-sections of the carrots (see picture below)
If needed, use a vegetable peeler or pairing knife to refine the shapes of the carrots so that they look more like pumpkins. Cut each carrot width-wise into ¼-inch slices, discarding the smallest ends. Set aside in a bowl of iced water until time to steam.
3- Steam the vegetable or blench
You have to pre cook the vegetables since they will be just placed in the warm soup. If you cook them in the broth, chances are that the broth won’t be so clear anymore. Same thing for the pasta. Has to be cooked separately.
I steamed the vegetables. Not too much, or they will not retain the crunch: 10 minutes for “al dente” . Set aside.
I typically do not add salt for kids the broth will have enough natural salinity .
4- Back to the pasta dough
Roll a small piece of the dough through a pasta machine. Starting from the wider setting of the rolls to about a 5 or 6. You want your noodle to be quite thick. Once you have your piece of pasta rolled, cut out the shapes with your cookie cutter.
For the Witch’s hat ahape : Roll the pasta of the same thickness as the bats or shape you decided.
Watch this video to assemble the hats. It’s very easy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJTGJXEnLzU&feature=youtu.be
5- Dashi Style Broth: makes enough for 4 people
6 cups cold water
1 oz kombu (dried kelp), about 20 square inches
2 dried bonito flakes about 1 cup
NOTE: you can find these ingredients very easily in the Asian section of any grocery store.
Bring cold water and kombu just to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat and remove kombu Sprinkle katsuo bushi / Bonito flake over liquid; let stand 3 minutes and, if necessary, stir to make them sink. Pour through a cheesecloth-lined sieve or a coffee filter into a bowl. Reserve the flake for rice with soy-glazed bonito flakes and sesame seeds.
The broth will be clear. Separate about 2 Cups of the broth and place it in a smaller pot. Bring to boil and add the noodles. Cook a few minutes until “al dente”
The ASSEMBLE THE DISH:
~Place 2/3 C of the CLEAR broth in a bowl.
~Add the steamed vegetable
~Add the Noodles strained from the broth
Enjoy!
BOOOOOH!!!
