Curried Cauliflower Soup

Yes yes I know, you’re all hot and sweaty and unable to eat anything but watermelon and gazpacho and so, SO HOT.

Well, I’m not.  Here in San Francisco, the place where summer goes to die, apparently, it’s not hot.  It’s not even warm.  It’s cold.  Boot-stomping, fleece-wearing cold.  The fog rolls in, the fog rolls out.  In, out, in, farther-in, and all the while, we’re lucky if the temperature gets into the 60s.  So while you feast on fresh, cooling melon, I’m craving soup.

If you’re in the bay area like me, you’re welcome.  If you’re, I don’t know, anywhere else in the northern hemisphere, my apologies.  Still, I suspect this soup would be nice served cold.  If you can bring yourself to turn on a burner and throw together a chilled version, please let me know.

Curried Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large leek, washed and chopped
• 2 heads cauliflower, chopped
• salt and cracked black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
• juice of 1 lemon
• sliced scallions and roasted cashews, for serving

Directions:

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil and melt the butter.  Once warm, add the onion, leeks, and a pinch each of salt and pepper, and sweat until softened and translucent, about 7 minutes.  Add the cauliflower and curry powder and sauté another 5 minutes.  Add the tarragon, chicken stock, and a bit more salt and freshly cracked pepper.

Bring soup to a boil, and then turn down the heat and simmer until cauliflower is completely cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and purée soup, either with an immersion blender or food processor, working in batches.  Once completely smooth, place soup back over a low flame and add the lemon juice.

Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings before serving warm, topped with sliced scallions and roasted cashews.

Makes about 4 quarts (16 cups) soup.