Curried Cauliflower Soup

Guess what arrived yesterday...my Vitamix! (Or, as Katie likes to call it, "The Blender of Destiny.")

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I won a Vitamix in a giveaway from Recipage. It has got to be the biggest prize I have ever won. I don't typically own things that are touted as being the best of the best, so I feel pretty spoiled!

Naturally, I had to christen the thing in my kitchen last night. Kate said to "make her something good" and I hope this curried cauliflower soup lives up to her expectations.

(evidence)

This recipe was created on the fly, and I have to admit that I used one big cheat. Maybe "shortcut" sounds better...

Jarred curry simmer sauce from Trader Joe's is the flavor behind this soup. I found it in my cupboard and thought it'd pair perfectly with the head of cauliflower in my fridge. (I was right.) If you can't get this simmer sauce, I'm sure you could make something similar using tomato sauce, curry powder, garlic, cumin, ginger, and lemon juice. Other spices on the ingredient list are: coriander, turmeric, paprika, red pepper, cinnamon, and cloves.

But really, the jarred sauce makes it so easy.

Curried Cauliflower Soup

serves 6

prep time: 20 minutes

cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons coconut or olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 5 medium carrots, peeled & diced
• 1 inch fresh ginger, minced
• 3-4 cups vegetable broth, divided
• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 15 ounce jar curry simmer sauce or comparable substitute
• cilantro or coriander chutney, to garnish

Directions:

• Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.
• Add the onion, pepper, celery, carrots, and ginger, and saute until onions are soft and translucent (about 10 minutes.)
• Add 1 cup of the vegetable stock, and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until all vegetables are very soft (about 15 minutes.)
• Meanwhile, steam the cauliflower florets until very tender. Add half of the cauliflower to the vegetable mixture, along with the curry sauce and 2 cups of stock. Stir to combine.
• Carefully transfer the soup, in batches, to a blender. Puree until smooth and pour back into the pot. Place over medium-low heat and bring to temperature. *Remember that blending hot liquids creates a vacuum in your blender. Be sure to vent the lid and cover with a towel to avoid being splattered/burned.*
• Break apart reserved cauliflower into tiny bits (see picture below.) Add to soup and stir to combine. Thin to desired consistency with remaining stock. Optional - you can add all of the cauliflower before pureeing if you would like a completely smooth soup. I prefer the added texture.

• Ladle into bowls and top with cilantro or, if you're lucky, coriander chutney. This would also be great over steamed rice or with some nice chewy naan to dunk in it...