North African Cauliflower Soup
Why I Love This Recipe
this is a recipe from pg. 33 of "Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home"
This soup is thick, smooth, and creamy without any cream at all.
I wrote the recipe exactly as stated in the book. When I made it instead of the water and bouillon I used vegetable broth. I had some leftover chilled polenta so I pan fried that and put it in the bottom of the soup bowl, it was a great touch. This would also be good with pita wedges or something similar.
The garnishes really make the soup pop.
Ingredients You'll Need
2 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 potatoes (about 2 cups diced)
1 medium head cauliflower (about 5 cups chopped)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel
4 cups hot water
1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon powder or 1 bouillon cube (optional)
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2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt and ground black pepper to taste
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chopped fresh tomatoes
chopped chives or scallions
Directions
In a soup pot on medium heat, saute the onions in the oil for 5 to 10 minutes, until translucent. While the onions saute, dice the potatoes and chop the cauliflower.
Stir the cumin, fennel, and potatoes into the pot, and cook for a minute. Then add the hot water. Cover, turn up the heat, and bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower and optional bouillon, and return to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer, covered for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
In a blender or food processor, puree the vegetables and broth until smooth. Add the lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Reheat the soup if necessary, taking care not to scorch it.
Serve garnished with the chopped tomatoes and chives or scallions.
