pam's curried cheddar and cauliflower soup
Made this for supper because I had a half head of cauliflower and wanted to make some soup for this cold day. I made this by guess and by golly, but have recorded the ingredients as I remember them. It is a simple cheesy sauce soup base with cauliflower. That is a slice of my Asiago and Rosemary Beer Batter Bread with a bowl of soup. They were great together.
Blue Ribbon Recipe
Wow, this curried cheddar and cauliflower soup is delicious. It's creamy and cheesy without overpowering the mild cauliflower flavor. Leeks add their wonderful subtle onion flavor and are a wonderful complement to the cauliflower. We used 1/4 tsp of curry, and was perfect for our taste buds. This is similar to a creamy potato soup, only made with steamed cauliflower. Your whole family will enjoy a bowl.
Ingredients
- 1/2 large head cauliflower
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 large shallot, very finely minced
- 1/2 cup very finely chopped celery
- 1/2 cup very finely chopped leeks
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 - 5 cups milk
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 - 2 dashes hot pepper sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon mild curry powder
- 8 - 12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
How To Make pam's curried cheddar and cauliflower soup
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Step 1Rinse and drain the cauliflower leaving some water on it. -
Step 2Salt and lightly pepper all sides.
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Step 3Place in a microwaveable dish. Cover and microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes. Let rest until needed. This allows residual heat to cook it further. If it is not quite tender enough, the additional simmering will finish it. If it is a very large head, or you want it very tender, you might want to cook it for 5-6 minutes in the microwave.
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Step 4In a large saucepan, melt butter.
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Step 5Add finely chopped vegetables. Cook over med heat until tender and translucent.
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Step 6Add flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to avoid raw flour taste.
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Step 7Add milk, cream, garlic powder, curry powder, and hot pepper sauce. Stir and cook over medium heat until thickened. I gave a wide range of measures for the milk because some people like thick soup, some thin. The cheese will also add some thickness and texture, so it is up to you to determine how much milk to use.
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Step 8Add cheese and stir until melted.
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Step 9Chop cooked cauliflower into large bite-sized pieces.
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Step 10Add to the cauliflower soup base. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Taste. Salt and/or pepper if needed.
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Step 11Serve hot with a sprinkling of chopped chives or parsley for color.
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