Cheesy vegetable soda bread

A simple soda bread can be mixed up quickly in time to serve for dinner with a bowl of hearty soup.

We are moving toward soup and stew season. And when we get there, it’s always nice to serve a fresh loaf of bread alongside a bowl. I only breakout my yeast bread making skills on rare occasions, and certainly not on a busy weeknight. So a good, hearty quick bread recipe is a nice compromise.

Simple Irish style Soda Bread is a uncomplicated way to have a fresh loaf on the table. And I always feel exceedingly accomplished when I serve homemade bread, no matter how easy it was to make!

Here, I add some vegetables and a dose of cheese, to really amp up the flavor and interest of this relatively simple loaf. Whole wheat bread adds a nice nuttiness and chew, with the all-purpose flour keeping the crumb light. Mayonnaise adds a little tang, and the rich flavors of Worcestershire sauce add a nice depth. Sometimes I add some chopped herbs to this as well, if I happen to have some around.

I love this warm from the oven with a nice swipe of butter melting into the nooks and crannies. It’s also very good with an aged cheddar cheese, so it works alongside a cheese platter. And of course, it is perfect with a warm bowl of comforting soup.

Cheesy vegetable soda bread

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, cold and cut into small pieces
4 ounces zucchini, grated
4 ounces carrot, grated
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degree F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place the flours, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumble. Add the zucchini, carrots and cheese and pulse to combine, then add the egg, mayonnaise and Worcestershire until you have a rough, shaggy dough.

3. Turn the dough out onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet and use your clean, damp hands to shape it into a round about 2-inches thick. Use a sharp knife to cut a few slashes in the top of the bread – it looks pretty if you do it in a crisscross pattern.
Bake the bread for 40 – 50 minutes until firm, golden and cook through. Serve warm slathered with good butter.

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