Rustic Cauliflower Soup

A strange breeze blew into town this past weekend. It must be a sign autumn will be arriving shortly. Not quite yet, but soon enough. I welcome the hot weather to stay as long as it likes, but I am partial to autumn. The summer zombies lose their stupor from being miserable in the heat, whereas I've been frolicking in the haziness. Everyone seems to be more comfortable and in a better mood overall, making them easier to be around. Autumn is like my slow cool down from the summer until I go into hibernation since I dislike the cold so much.

The peculiar wind put me in a changing mood, so I decided to go ahead and make an autumn-like soup a little early. I have plenty of milk laying around for a great soup base and all it needed were some spices and veggies thrown in the mix. The process was still simple and lazy like summer, but the warm flavor and texture feels like autumn.

The soup ended up with quite a pleasant Indian-esque flair with the spices. The soup had an extra layer of warmth of mild spiciness from the ginger and peppers. Enjoying both whole and puréed cauliflower was a real treat since I rarely purée any dishes; however, the soup can be left whole or completely puréed to match your favorite soup texture. But the overall balance of flavors was a true melody from a handful of simple ingredients you're likely to have in your cupboard and a quick way to enjoy a little comfort.

Rustic Cauliflower Soup

Printable Recipe

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large leek, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, diced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

1 tbsp curry powder

1/2 tbsp ground coriander

1/2 tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp celery seeds

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

4 cups raw milk

1/2 cup chicken broth

4 cups cauliflower

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat and then add the olive oil. Add the onion through ginger and sweat for 10 min, stirring occasionally. Next add all the spices of curry through celery seeds, stirring well, and cook for 3 min.

Add the flour and mix until incorporated.

Next, add the raw milk in 1 cup increments every minute (as to not chill the soup), stirring slowly. Then add the chicken broth and cauliflower. Bring the soup to a boil, stirring constantly so the raw milk does not scald on the bottom, and then lower the temperature to a simmer. Allow the soup to reduce for 30 min, stirring occasionally.

Finally, carefully purée half the soup in a blender for 5 seconds, then stir back into the soup. Garnish with crème fraîche and green onions if desired. Serve immediately.

~Yields 2 hearty servings, or 4 small bowls.

~Original by Brie.