Cauliflower Soup

What I call a foundation recipe - it's easy to flavor/spice this to your liking. You could also call it "Spice Cabinet Soup." While I used an Indian curry first, I later added Caribbean curry & freshly grated nutmeg. It's low calorie, for those of you counting. Just cauliflower, onions, stock, & water. 

Cauliflower Soup by Jacques Pépin, "Essential Pépin"

Serves 6
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
2 cups sliced onions
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 cups homemade chicken stock (page 612) or low-salt canned chicken broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt, or taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large or 2 small heads cauliflower (about 1.75 pounds total), cored, separated into florets, and trimmed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. When it is hot, add the onions and saute for 2-3 minutes, until they start browning. Sprinkle the flour and curry powder over the onions and mix well. Stir in the chicken stock, water, salt, and pepper, mix well, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the cauliflower and return to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to very low, and boil gently for 30 minutes.

Pour the soup into a food processor, in batches if necessary, and puree, with the butter. Return to the saucepan and stir in the cream. You should have about 7 cups soup; if you have less, add enough water to bring to this level.

Reheat the soup, then divide it among six soup dishes, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve. Can be made ahead of time and frozen or refrigerated.

Personal notes: I didn't think much of this at first. Maybe I chose the wrong curry to begin with, but it was pretty bland. Maybe I don't like cauliflower to begin with. A couple weeks later, I defrosted some & added in some fresh Caribbean curry & freshly grated nutmeg from Grenada - and it really perked up the soup. That's when I decided that this recipe is a great foundation for a flavor you really like and want to experience more of in your home kitchen. Like a fragrant curry.   

Also, I did not use cream at the end of the recipe; I used liquid whey from my homemade yogurt to add some tartness & extra nutrients.