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vegetable soup - cauliflower soup with broccoli

 

t=teaspoon    T=tablespoon 

 

These recipes are for your personal use only and may not be added in any form to archives or other works. 

 

Cauliflower  Soup with Broccoli Florets 

This is the kind of soup I think about in the cold months of the year.  Tasty and filling, in small portions it is suitable as an appetiser.  Or serve it alone with a chicken sandwich and mixed salad.

serves 4 generously 

 

1sm. cauliflower (ca. 500 g.) 
1 good handful broccoli florets 
1 med.  onion, finely chopped
750 l. water 
500 ml. chicken broth 

250 ml. light cream (or 125 ml. heavy with 125 ml. water)
2 T. butter 

2 T. flour (or finely ground oatmeal)
1/8 t. freshly grated nutmeg
salt, white pepper 
a few T. grated Parmesan cheese

Clean the cauliflower and trim the stem if necessary (allow only a few inches for the soup - see note). Break into large pieces and cook  in the water to which half the cream has been added until al dente.  At the same time in a smaller pot, steam the broccoli florets for just a few minutes until al dente as well.  Remove, drain and gently rinse briefly with cold water.  Set aside.

 

Heat the chicken broth.

Melt the butter in another pot.  Sauté the onion until glassy.  Sprinkle over the flour (or oatmeal) and stir well, then occasionally for a minute.  Do not allow to brown.  Remove from heat.
 

Using a whisk, add a ladle of hot chicken broth and whisk to avoid clumps.  Add another ladle, stir and return to heat.  Allow to simmer for a few moments while you...

 

puree the cauliflower in the cooking water/cream with a puree wantd (immersion blender) until smooth or to the texture you prefer. If using a blender, allow to cool 10 minutes before pouring into blender to puree. 

 

Add the rest of the cream, hot chicken broth and the broccoli florets to the soup.  Add salt and pepper according to taste, then the nutmeg. 

 

Reheat gently and keep warm until serving time but do not allow to boil.  Serve in deep bowls with a little grated Parmesan cheese on top. A rosé wine goes nicely with this or a not too dry white.

 

Note:  adding none or very little of the cauliflower stem reduces the 'gastro-intestinal' problems some persons have with such vegetables!  I prefer using chicken broth but a good vegetable broth will also do.


 

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