That means it's this time of year where hearty stews, hot soups and savory breads are most popular. Not to mention hot mulled wine. And Gingerbread men. And German Stollen. And Poffertjes...but I digress.
Last week, we had a real cold stretch here in Northern California. Yes, I know...it's Cali so it won't get as cold as in other parts of the country but this year's a bit different. Anyway, I decided to make some soup that day and came up with a recipe for a creamy Cauliflower soup that has been floating around in our family for at least three generations. Wait,...make that four. Great-Granny, Grandma, my mother and now me.
It's a simple recipe with no big fanfare and no fancy ingredients but cauliflower provides an abundance of healthy nutrients. It's high in Vitamin C, very low in fat, low in carbs and contains phytochemicals such as sulforaphane, carontenoids and Indole-3-carbinol. All these three may protect against cancer. However, those three chemicals beneficial to one's health may be reduced by over-boiling the cauliflower so in this recipe we'll keep the boiling to a minimum.
Here's what we'll need for our soup:
2 heads of Cauliflower (Stem & leaves removed and cut into flowerettes)
1500 ml of stock (Beef & cauliflower stock)
100 grams of butter (one stick)
100 grams of flour
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup heavy cream
150 grams of grated cheese (Gruyere, Gouda or Emmenthaler)
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp of ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp of ground white pepper
2 links of Turkey Andouille sausage
1 bunch Parsley
4 Yukon Gold potatoes (yellow potatoes are just as good)
2 Tbsp of oil (I use Smart Balance)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Let's start with the potatoes. They need to be peeled, rinsed and cut into small dice-like pieces. But here's the trick, they will also be soaked in water for about 20 mins to remove as much starch as possible. Starch promotes clumping during frying and that's not what we want. We want them to be able to easily separate during pan-frying.
Peel the potatoes, cut them into small dices, soak them and then dry them on a double layer of paper towels. In the meantime, heat up 2 Tbsp of oil in a pan until slightly, just slightly, smoking and add the potatoes. Fry them to a golden brown with some of them having a nicely browned skin. This will keep the potatoes from soaking up more liquid later on when they are added to the soup. They will stay somewhat crispy and firm. Once they are done, take them out of the pan and place them in a bowl to cool off. Sprinkle the potatoes with some chopped parsley and set aside to cool.
Onto the cauliflower.
Bring 1.5 quarts of salted water to a boil and add the flowerettes, reduce the heat and simmer them for about 6 minutes. Drain them but catch the water the cauliflower was boiled in. We'll need about 500ml of it; discard the rest. Set the flowerettes aside and let them cool.
In the meantime, slice two links of the Andouille, grate the cheese, finely chop the garlic, separate the egg yolks from the whites and mix the cheese, yolks, garlic and heavy cream together. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper and some chopped parsley to the mix and fold it all in.
Take the 100 grams of butter, or one stick, and melt it in a large pot until it slightly foams. Now add the flour and make a roux, whisking continuously until it forms a thick paste. Saute the roux until it becomes golden brown while frequently stirring it with a whisk.
This next part is crucial. Once the roux has turned golden brown, we'll add the stock and the 500 ml of cauliflower stock we reserved earlier. Add both of the stocks slowly, whisking constantly until it's become a smooth liquid and it's all incorporated. Bring the soup to a light simmer until it has set and thickened. Now add the cheese/cream/yolk mix and bring to a boil until the soup is of creamy and thick consistency. Turn the heat down to low.
Now add the Cauli flowerettes, the potatoes and the Andouille sausage. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Perhaps add a splash of Worcestershire sauce to round things out.
Throw in a handful of chopped parsley, stir and let simmer on very low heat for about 5 minutes, just enough to allow the soup to set.
Serve with a toasted slice of Ciabbatta or Rustic country bread and a glass of red wine.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
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