Empty Belly

Creamy (Dreamy) Cauliflower Soup

One of my favorite winter meals is a hearty soup served with thick slices of buttered fresh bread. Add a nice green salad and a glass of wine to really top it off. Last night I made a cauliflower soup with rutabaga (kålrabi). The texture was very creamy and it tasted delicious*. And, even better, it’s quick and easy!

Estimated total time to prepare & cook: one hour

Serves four as a main course, six as a first course.

Ingredients

3 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 liters/ 6 cups vegetable stock or water with 1.5 vegetable bullion cubes
1.5 c rutabega, peeled and roughly chopped (you may substitute 1 medium or 2 small peeled, chopped potatoes or sweet potato)
1 large carrot, peeled and quartered
1 head cauliflower, clean and separate into florets
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 -1/2 tsp cayenne powder (optional)
plus black pepper and paprika for garnish
parmesan cheese, sliced with a vegetable peeler

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil. Once hot, add the curry powder and salt. Stir in the onion and sautée for about five minutes. Stir occasionally to keep from burning. Add the garlic and continue to sautée, until the onion is golden in color and translucent. Add your vegetable stock (or water with bullion cubes) and bring to a boil. Once boiling add the rutabega and carrot. Turn heat down, but maintain a feisty simmer; cook until the rutabega is beginning to soften- about 10 or 15 minutes. Add the cauliflower, again bringing to a boil, turn the heat down and continue to simmer until it is soft. Remove from heat, add black and cayenne peppers. Blend until creamy with an immersion or regular blender. Taste, adding salt if you like. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with paprika and black pepper; add several slivers of parmesan to the top. Enjoy!

*As I’m very pregnant right now, I made this pretty mild, leaving out the cayenne and cutting back on the curry powder. And sadly, no accompanying glass of wine. Sigh.