Soothing Cauliflower Soup

The journey

I was on a date night with friends at a tapas restaurant and the tried the cauliflower soup as an appetizer. I remember thinking then that this soup is such a great idea but it tasted like baby food and desperately needed a flavor punch. I decided to try making it at home and added some classic Indian flavors (garlic, nutmeg) and then the twist (pepper, chives, olive oil and cheddar cheese). It was comforting and delicious...perfect for those cold winter Sunday evenings...or really anytime of the year. It will freeze very well and without the garnish, it makes a great pasta sauce as well. A very versatile soup that is lip smacking good.

 

 Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower

1 small white or yellow onion

2 cloves of garlic - pealed and sliced

1 tsp canola or grape seed oil

1 tsp white or black pepper

1 tsp salt or to taste

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 cup of milk
1 cup of water

Chives - chopped as garnish. You can substitute with spring onions as well (just the green side), although I love the taste of Chives the best.

Olive oil - drizzled as garnish

Grated Cheddar cheese - optional as garnish

Now, let's get cooking..

Chop the cauliflower and microwave with a 1/2 cup of water on high for 5 minutes until fully cooked. You can also do this in a stove top. Consider this though..Boiling cauliflower on a stove top with water reduces the levels of the phytonutrients that fight cancer in cauliflower, with losses of 20–30% after five minutes, 40–50% after ten minutes, and 75% after thirty minutes. However, other preparation methods, like stir frying or microwaving or steaming have no significant effect on the compounds. This is why I like to microwave and I also save the liquid and use it in the soup. 

In a saucepot on medium heat, add the oil and sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent but not browned.

Add the cooked cauliflower, the cooked water, nutmeg and salt.

When the flavors are combined well in a minute, turn off heat.

Puree in a food processor to a pasty consistency but leaving a little bit texture.

Transfer the puree to the saucepan. 

Now add the milk and water. Bring it to a boil.

Serve hot with a garnish of chives, cheddar cheese (optional) and a drizzle of olive oil.

The Good in this Recipe

Chives are probably the most easy and fuss free addition to your herb garden. From ancient beliefs of warding off evil to acting as a diuretic, they have several benefits. They are perennial, look beautiful particularly with the purple flowers in spring, need little care, dry freeze well and they are twisty delicious as a garnish for most savory foods.Chives have antibiotic properties. The natural antibacterial and antiviral agents in the vegetable work with vitamin C to destroy harmful microbes. This makes the plant an excellent natural defense against the common cold, flu and yeast infections too.Chives have anti carcinogenic, cardiovascular and digestive properties. 

Cauliflower  is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Potassium and Manganese. If you are diabetic, you might want to watch your intake of cauliflower since it is generally high in natural sugars.