620826 Mon May 18 13:02:01 -0700 2009 8 31 Home Cooking 0 4694758 A friend of mine recently made a delicious cauliflower soup, and though I've been begging for the recipe I can't seem to get it from him. That said, I have a head of cauliflower sitting in my fridge and would love to make the soup tonight- any suggestions? The key characteristic that I loved about this soup was it's lightness- it had almost a foamy consistency. Any recipes / trickswould be very much appreciated- thanks!! Mon May 18 13:02:01 -0700 2009 24364 danielle 1 4694818 Danielle: was it a creamy soup, cheesy, or did it seem like it was cooked in broth? From your description, I'm gathering it was pureed, right? Mon May 18 13:16:35 -0700 2009 4694758 84890 nemo 2 4694910 pureed, not cheesy- might have been cooked in broth though i can't be sure.... sorry- i know that's less than helpful... Mon May 18 13:39:07 -0700 2009 4694818 24364 danielle 1 4694994 I saw this recipe a few years ago on Yahoo. I've made a more times that I can count...VERY good. (recipe is at the bottom) http://health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/19/give-your-immune-system-a-boost/ Mon May 18 14:01:27 -0700 2009 4694758 291819 gastronomad 1 4695075 A soup like this is almost foolproof, and doesn't really require a recipe. Chop the cauliflower fairly finely, and simmer with onions and garlic in chicken or vegetable stock, plus a bit of white wine if you like, till the vegetables are fairly soft. Puree, then force through a strainer (that's a pretty important step). Adjust thickness with stock and/or dairy of your choice. In my experience, there's no benefit from sweating the aromatics in butter or oil first with this method, which also works with just about any other fibrous, seedless vegetable you can imagine. And it's perfectly great with frozen vegetables, too. If you use anything cruciferous (like cauliflower), just make sure not to overcook it. The recipe gastronomad links to below is similar, but adds mushrooms and cilantro. I'm sure that would be very good, but it wouldn't really scream cauliflower the way the above method does. Mon May 18 14:26:34 -0700 2009 4694758 130151 dmd_kc 1 4695080 It might not be quite the same, but I'd make a thin vichyssoise as a base. Add the roasted cauliflower, puree, and presto you're done!! Substituting yogurt for the cream will give it a little tang. Mon May 18 14:27:35 -0700 2009 4694758 23712 DiveFan 1 4695240 It's likely that he finished the soup with soda, tonic, or seltzer water to create the foam. Did the soup have a tang? A very simple recipe that's all about the califlower - chop the cauliflower into florets and put them into a pan with a little water. Steam until nearly tender and either use an immersion blender or blender to puree. Add water or broth to reach the consistency desired, reduce slightly, and then add seltzer. Garnish with chives or parsley. The recipe can be altered by (choose one or more): - first roasting the cauliflower instead of steaming; - adding sauteed onions, carrots, and celery; - adding some milk or cream at the end; - changing the herbs (eg thyme); - adding cheese at the end or on top (eg cheddar b, blue). Mon May 18 15:18:19 -0700 2009 4694758 155034 alwayscooking 1 4695316 I'd sautee a finely sliced onion, then a bit of garlic, toss in stock, add finely chopped cauliflower, season (S&P and maybe a touch of cumin), cook for a bit, blend with stick blender, strain, serve. For thicker versions I'd add a cubed potato with the cauliflower and a touch of powdered milk at blending. Mon May 18 15:53:49 -0700 2009 4694758 36661 Sam Fujisaka 1 4695487 I make a cauliflower soup that becomes just a bit foamy feeling due to blending of it. I use an onion or several shallots, a couple of stalks of celery, a carrot and a cauliflower all chopped up, along with maybe an ounce or so of Romano cheese. I saute the onions, celery, and carrot first in a bit of butter or olive oil until they are soft. Then I add in the cauliflower and cheese with enough chicken broth (you could probably use vegetable broth too, but I haven't) to cover everything (anywhere from 3 to 5 cups depending on how much vegetables you have), cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Then I use a stick blender on it until it's smooth (you could probably use a regular blender too). Then I blend in just a little heavy cream to make it smooth. This seems to be what makes it frothy for me at the end. Then I add salt and pepper to taste and drizzle a little bit of truffle oil on after I put it in the bowls to serve along with a shaving or two of the Romano cheese. We love it. Mon May 18 16:59:55 -0700 2009 4694758 292475 dcwlopez