Cauliflower Soup - Blue Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We all lose our heads from time to time, but not with the same finality as Madame du Barry lost hers. While not a royal, the comtesse, once mistress to King Louis the XVth , was guillotined following the false testimony of her chef who detested her imperious behavior. Many dishes in classic French cuisine, especially those containing cauliflower, are appended with her name. Not because she lost her head, but because her coif resembled a head of cauliflower in color and appearance.This is a simplified version of Creme du Barry. Almost all the butter and cream have been removed from the recipe and caraway seeds are, instead, added to provide flavor. The soup is simple to make and uses only a handful of readily available ingredients. It is really quite lovely. I know those of you who try it will enjoy it. It's an easy way to use the cauliflower that is flooding markets at this time of year and it would be a perfect first course for a holiday meal. Here's the recipe.

Cauliflower Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
1 medium all-purpose potato, cubed
6 cups chicken Stock
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Garnish: Chopped chives or parsley

Directions:
1) Warm oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onions and caraway seed and cook, stirring, until onions are soft but not brown, about 10 minutes.
2) Stir in cauliflower, potatoes, and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender. Remove form the heat and allow to cool slightly.
3) Transfer to a blender or a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.Add lemon juice and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Thin soup with stock or milk if too thick. Pour through a fine mesh strainer. Pour into warm bowls. Garnish with chives or parsley. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
White Bean Cauliflower and Bacon Soup - Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
Cauliflower and Potato Salad - Guilty Kitchen
French Cauliflower Salad - Pham Fatale
Cauliflower Curry - The Spamwise Chronicles
Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup - One Perfect Bite
Gobi Manchurian - One Perfect Bite
Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry - Closet Cooking
Roasted Cauliflower with Tomatoes and Black Olives - The Recipe Girl

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a quick and delicious dish that I stumbled on while looking for new ways to cook broccoli and cauliflower. The recipe was developed by Laura Chenel for Food and Wine magazine. There tends to be a sameness to recipes that are written for the more strongly flavored vegetables. This one is a delightful departure from the norm. While I love the recipe as it is written, I would suggest you omit the broccoli and double the the amount of cauliflower the recipe calls for. I think the mix of ingredients is better suited to cauliflower and it makes for a much prettier dish than when the two are combined. I promise I'll give broccoli equal time at a later date. I love it, just not in this particular dish. This gratin is strongly flavored and is probably best served with plain grilled chicken or meat, though I must say I liked this enough to have the leftovers for my breakfast the last time I made it. "Gratin" is one of those culinary oddities that identifies a pan in which to cook, as well as a method of cooking. The pan is a shallow vessel that is used to hold a mixture that is topped with breadcrumbs and cheese and quickly broiled or flashed to produce a crunchy crust. They are usually easy to prepare, high in calories and absolutely delicious. This one is no exception, though it healthier than most. This is a really nice, serviceable recipe that you'll use over and over again once you've tried it. I hope that will be soon. Here's the recipe.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Laura Chenel

Ingredients:
4 cups broccoli florets (from 2 small heads)
4 cups cauliflower florets (from 1 small head)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1/4 cup pitted oil-cured green or black olives, coarsely chopped
1 cup coarse plain dry bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 2-inch-deep 2-quart baking dish. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil, add broccoli and cauliflower and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
2) In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over moderate heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook just until fragrant. Remove pan from burner. Add broccoli and cauliflower and toss. Toss olives and half of cheese with vegetables. Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
3) In a small bowl, toss crumbs with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle crumbs over cheese. Bake in upper third of oven for about 12 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and crumbs are golden. Serve hot. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Spring Vegetable Ragout - One Perfect Bite
Summer Vegetable Gratin - Delicious Dishings
Winter Root Vegetable Gratin - Playing House
Vegetable Au Gratin - eCurry
Root Vegetable Gratin - The Bitten Word
Summer Vegetable Gratin - Erin Cooks

Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had guests for dinner last evening and I wanted to share the lovely soup we had to start the meal with you. It is French in origin, and has a highfalutin name that makes it sound more formal and pretentious than it actually is. I do, however, work on the theory, that those who know a language are entitled to use the name with which they are most familiar. Lovers of France and the French language call this potage, Soupe Crème de Choux-Fleurs et Pomme au Curry. Those of us who lack the requisite language skills will call it Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup. Julia Child would have loved this recipe. It's based on one developed by Daniel Boulud and I think you'll love it too. It's actually easier to make than any of Julia's recipes and were you to eliminate the garnish, the soup is no harder to make than good old tomato soup. Really. Our local farmer's markets have shelves bending under the weight of cauliflower and it's also being tucked into CSA boxes. This is a wonderful way to use it up. The recipe has been developed to provide six servings and uses a cup of heavy cream. None of you need my permission to swap light for heavy cream. It changes the texture of the soup but it is still lovely. The recipe can also be doubled if you have a gang to feed. When I make the soup for family I omit the garnish, but I do use it when we have guests around the table. I use saffron when we have the queen to dinner. Those of you who try this are in for a sweet and spicy treat. It's smooth and creamy, and, like most cream soups, can be made well in advance of serving. Here's the recipe.

Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Daniel Boulud

Ingredients:
Soup
4 cups chicken stock
1-1/2 tablespoons sweet butter
1 cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons curry powder
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads or 2 pinches saffron powder
1 cup tart apples, such as Granny Smiths or Golden Delicious, peeled, split, cored and sliced
4 cups cauliflower (about 1 medium head), greens and stem discarded, head broken up
into small florets
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chives, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Curried Apple Garnish
1 cup Golden Delicious apple, peeled, split, cored, cut in 1/4 inch dice
1 teaspoon curry powder
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads or 1 pinch saffron powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1) For soup: Warm chicken stock over medium heat. Melt butter in a heavy bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, curry powder, and saffron and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add sliced apple and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add cauliflower and warm chicken stock and bring to a boil. Boil until cauliflower is tender when pierced with a knife, approximately 20 minutes. Add cream and cook for 3 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and purée at high speed until very smooth. Strain through a fine sieve. Keep warm until ready to serve or refrigerate when cool and reheat just before serving.
2) For garnish: Place diced apples with 1 tablespoon of water in a pan over medium heat. Add the curry powder, saffron, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, cover with a lid, and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Strain and keep warm.
3) To serve: Ladle soup into warm soup bowls or cups. Sprinkle garnish over top. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

You might also like these recipes:
Yellow Cauliflower - One Perfect Bite
Gobi Manchurian - One Perfect Bite
Roasted Spicy Cauliflower - Kalyn's Kitchen
A Tale of Two Cauliflower Soups - Becks and Posh
Cauliflower Soup - Annie Blogs
Simple Cauliflower Soup - Simply Recipes

Gobi Manchurian - Indo-Chinese Fritters

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When I came across this dish, I knew it had to be tried and shared. This saucy cauliflower is both a curiosity and a contradiction. Kitchen lore insists the dish is an Indian adaption of an old Chinese recipe. While that makes for a wonderful story, cauliflower is rarely seen in China and until recently you'd be hard pressed to find it served in Manchuria or any other region of the country. It is, however, extremely popular in India where it is called Gobi Manchurian. Gobi is the Indian word for cauliflower and Manchurian is the name of a spicy Indian sauce that has Chinese overtones. The dish was developed in India by Chinese immigrants who adapted Indian foods to their way of cooking. In doing so, they created a new cuisine called Indo-Chinese. Interestingly, the dish is starting to work its way into China and you'll occasionally find it on Chinese menus in other countries. Gobi Manchurian is served as an appetizer or a side dish and it is prepared in a manner that is similar to making Japanese tempura. Florets of cauliflower are dipped into a savory batter and then quickly deep fried. Once drained, they are coated with a nicely spicy tomato sauce and warmed through for serving. This dish was an enormous hit with my family and friends, and when served hot it is absolutely delicious. It does not hold well, so be prepared to move and get it to the table as soon as it is sauced. The sauce I use is quite mild, so, if you need more heat, add it to taste. You'll love this one. Here's the recipe.

Gobi Manchurian...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 large head of cauliflower, trimmed and broken into about 20 large florets
Batter
1/3 cup cornstarch
2/3 cup all-purpose flower
1/2 to 3/4 cups water
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Sauce
½ cup chopped spring onions
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped green chillies
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup water, divided use
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Directions:
1) To make batter and fry: Heat enough oil to deep fry in a wok or deep fryer. While oil heats, combine cornstarch, flowe, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add enough water to form a pancake-like batter. Dip cauliflower florets into mixture to coat with batter. Add a few florets at a time to hot oil and fry until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Continue until all florets are fried.
2) To make sauce: Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Stir in soy sauce, ketchup and salt. Set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic, ginger, green chillies and spring onions. Stir fry for about 1 minute to soften. Add cornstarch mixture and remaining , remaing 3/4 cup water and cook until thickened. Remove pan from heat.
3) To serve: Place fried cauliflower into sauce and stir-fry over high heat to warm and coat florets. Garnish, if desired, with cilantro sprigs or scallions. Serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Spring Vegetable Ragout - One Perfect Bite
Creamed Shanghai Bok Choy - One Perfect Bite
Asian Bean Spout Salad - One Perfect Bite
Sugar Snap Peas with Sesame - One Perfect Bite
Gobi Manchurian - Appetite for China
The Great Chinese Recipes Gobi Manchurian - ArticlesBase

Yellow Cauliflower

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Yellow cauliflower is finally available in farmer's markets in Oregon. I've been waiting a while for this variety to make an appearance. I was curious to see if there was any flavor change in the new hybrid. There is. It's milder in taste than it's parent and does not crumble as readily. I've prepared it steamed and stir fried and was very pleased with the results. It's color deepens as it cooks and it is much milder in flavor than most of the brassicas. I'll buy this whenever it's available.

I'm linking this post to Mellow Yellow Monday.