Our 17 month-old daughter Julia and I share many favorite things — vintage disco, french toast, cardigans, and, perhaps less predictably, cauliflower. Raw, I find it almost inedible, and steamed or boiled it’s watery and dull. But roasted in the oven it’s transformed into a nutty, tender vegetable delight. It’s one of my favorite side dishes and, oddly, it’s one of Julia’s favorite snacks.
With minimal effort roasted cauliflower can also become a luxurious yet virtuous soup, which, I’ll admit, probably has a broader appeal than the afternoon snack concept.
This is my fourth post about the Franco-Indian spice blend called Vadouvan. I’ve posted the recipe for Vadouvan itself here, a recipe for a light squash soup with Vadouvan here, and one for a chicken fricassee enhanced with the exotic-yet-comforting spice blend here. Like those dishes, this soup is delicious with or without the Vadouvan, but the spice blend adds a special and interesting note.
Recipe
Ingredients
2 heads of cauliflower, cut into approximately 1-inch pieces
2 medium potatoes, cut into approximately 1-inch pieces
3 cloves of garlic
2 large or three small shallots, peeled and quartered
about 2 tablespoons of olive oil
4 cups of chicken broth
2 or more cups of water
1/4 cup of Vadouvan
If not using Vadouvan, add 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme leaves and 1 bay leaf
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. On a baking sheet, toss the cauliflower, shallots and garlic in the oil until well coated.
3. Roast in the middle of the oven about 30 minutes, until golden brown.
4. In a large pot, simmer the broth, water, roasted vegetables and Vadouvan (or, if not using the Vadouvan, the thyme and bay leaf) until tender, about 30 mintues.
5. Remove the bay leaf (if using) and puree the soup until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender (which I strongly recommend for this type of thing), puree the soup in batches in a regular blender. When pureeing hot liquids in a blender, take great care not to burn yourself: never fill the container more than half way, don’t seal it closed (either remove the plug in the lid or leave the lid slightly ajar), cover the top with a kitchen towel and turn away to protect your eyes and face. Return the soup to the pot, thin with water, if desired, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
This soup is so rich and creamy nobody will believe it contains no butter or cream. It also keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week, and freezes well.
