Cauliflower soup

 

I first came across this soup in Norway in 1985 and have loved it ever since. Although using a whole cauliflower for soup may seem rather extravagant, you can usually get two meals out of a very large one and make use of the stem, to boot. I love this soup; it has a delicate, creamy flavour, which is even more delicious if you can make it with butter rather than olive oil. I like to serve it with herb bread.

If you have any choice, try to use a floury potato for this soup; for once, it should be peeled because the soup should end up as a thick, greeny-white purée, which would be less attractive with bits of potato skin.

Use 1/3 seawater to 2/3 fresh, if the sea is clean, and leave out the salt.

 

Serves 4 to 6 as a starter, 2 for a main course

 

Ingredients

 

2 tbsp butter OR olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 tsp salt

1 large potato, peeled and chopped

1 small or half a large cauliflower, cut into small florets

2 cups water

a small piece of mace (about 6mm/1/4 in square)

2 cups (plant) milk/water

pepper

grated nutmeg

 

Method: 

• Melt the butter/oil in a large saucepan.
• Add the onion and salt and cook for a few minutes until the onion is softened.
• Then add the potato and mix in with the onions.  
• Cook for a few minutes so that the potatoes are flavoured by the onion.  Add a little water if they look like catching.
• Add the mace, if you're using it.  Whole mace has a very intense flavour, so be cautious if you're not used to using it.  (Ground mace usually tastes of nothing!) 
  
• Now add the cauliflower florets to the pan. Dice the stalk. Don’t use the leaves – they’re too dark. You can, however, use their white stems.
• Add the water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, by which time the cauliflower should be thoroughly cooked.
• Pour in the milk or water and bring back to simmering point for a few more minutes, adding generous amounts of pepper.  Taste to see if more salt is required.
• Take a potato masher or stick blender and purée the soup.
  
• Pour into warmed bowls and, if you didn't use mace, grate nutmeg over before serving.

Note:

• I used to believe that some sort of milk, dairy or otherwise, was required in this soup (the Milk Marketing Board has done a splendid job over the years).  It might be worth adding if your cauliflower was a bit on the small side, or your potato waxy, but I find the soupl is thick and creamy without anything extra.  This not only makes it cheaper, but also easier for voyagers, especially those wihout refrigeration.

Variations: 

• Replace some of the milk with cream for an extra luxurious soup.
• Sprinkle the soup with toasted, flaked almonds.
• Swirl in some yoghurt when you serve the soup. 

Edited 29/4/25