Like the fashion industry, the food industry has its trends. What is fashionable now? These veggies are gaining attention: Brussels sprouts, kale, and cauliflower. Recipes for these vegetables are popping up everywhere, on the Internet, in magazines, newspapers, and even in conversations. If you haven’t tried this trio before, you might hesitate to do so.
But your grandmother and mother were right when they proclaimed, “Eat your vegetables. They are good for you!” Vegetables contain vitamins and minerals that are essential for good health.
According to the Self Nutrition Data website, cauliflower contains 25 calories per serving, three grams of fiber, two grams of sugar, and two grams of protein. It also contains vitamins A, C, K, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.
My husband loves raw cauliflower and he likes crispy slices in salat. I recently bought a head on sale and found out the reason for the reduced price. The vegetables were beginning to soften. Since I couldn’t put it in a salad, I thought about mashing it like potatoes. Then I thought of the soup. I live in Minnesota and it is winter, with freezing winds that can reach minus 41 degrees. The soup sounded great.
Cauliflower and curry go well together so I added a little to the soup. If you don’t like this spice, leave it out. If you love this spice, add more. Cooking the curry for a minute before adding the other ingredients brings out its flavor. After the vegetables are done, the mixture is purred with a hand mixer. You can also use a stand mixer, but I use a handheld one because it’s safer. I don’t have to pour hot soup into a glass container and can puree soup right in the pot.
I garnished the soup with garlic butter croutons, but other flavors would taste good too. Here is my recipe for Cream of Cauliflower Curry.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 medium yellow onion, minced
1 slice of celery, chopped
1 cup baby carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 box (32 ounces) unsalted chicken broth
1 cup of water
1 chicken bouillon cube
3/4 medium head cauliflower, cut into small pieces
8 ounces Neufchatel cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons of chopped Italian parsley (to decorate)
Packaged croutons (for garnish)
METHOD
Put olive oil and butter in a soup pot. As soon as the butter has melted, add the curry powder and cook 1 minute. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the Neufchatel cheese. Remove the pot from the heat. Puree the mixture with a hand mixer. Garnish with chopped parsley and croutons, or omit them and serve the soup with crusty bread. This recipe freezes well.
