Kitchen Wench

Oh my God. I just made the best soup ever.

Or, at least, this is the best soup I’ve ever made. I’m serious, it’s really good. It’s a bit time consuming, but the result is really rich flavor and a utterly velvety texture. Creamy enough to be served with a drizzle of truffle oil, it kind of reminds me of the parsnip soup I had at Corduroy during Restaurant Week. I get a little weak every time I pass a spoonful over my tongue. But, since I don’t have any truffle oil sitting around, I served it with a dollop of minted yogurt, though plain yogurt or sour cream would also be good.

The intensity of flavor will depend on the quality of your ingredients. I use a good quality stock (not broth) and spices from Penzy’s Spices. Old spices or some grocery store brands may be less flavorful and you should adjust the proportions as necessary.

• 1 medium-sized head of cauliflower
• 4 large cloves of garlic, peeled
• 4 cups of chicken stock (If you don’t make your own, try the Kitchen Basics brand)
• 2 small onions, chopped
• olive oil
• 1 tb butter, melted
• 1 tsp sweet curry powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• pinch of ground saffron (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• salt, pepper, and sugar, to taste
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Remove stem and roughly chop cauliflower into 1.5″-2″ chunks. Toss cauliflower and garlic cloves in a mixture of the melted butter, spices, salt, pepper, and enough olive oil to lightly coat all pieces. Pour into a baking dish and roast for 20-30 minutes, until cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork and is golden and carmelized. The carmelization will create a rich flavor in the soup, but be careful not to burn the vegetables or it will taste bitter.
3. Make the minted yogurt: Mix chopped mint leaves into the plain yogurt. Set aside and allow the flavors to meld while you prepare the rest of the soup.
4. Meanwhile, saute onions with olive oil in the bottom of a large soup pot. Cook onions on medium-low heat until soft. Add roasted cauliflower, stock, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Season with salt, sugar, and pepper. Continue to simmer until 20-25 minutes, or until all vegetables are very soft and the flavors have concentrated.
5. Remove bay leaf. Puree soup on low using either an immersion or regular upright blender. If using a regular blender (like me), be careful to take the plastic cap off the top so that the steam can escape. You can cover the hole with a dishtowel if there is splattering.
6. Push the yogurt through a strainer to remove the mint leaves. Place a dollop on each serving of soup.

Makes 4 servings.