Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Red Beet Chips
Makes me like cauliflower soup - something I never thought I would. Half a recipe serves 4 people. From Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc.
2 heads cauliflower (4-5 lbs each)
4 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 c. coarsely chopped onion
3/4 c. coarsely chopped leeks (white and light green parts onl
1/4 tsp yellow curry powder or madras curry powder
kosher salt
2 c. milk
2 c. heavy cream
2 c. water
peanut or canola oil
1 medium red beet
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
Torn Croutons
Extra virgin olive oil
fresh ground pepper
Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and cut out the core. Trim off the stems and reserve them. For the garnish, trim 2 c. florets about the size of a quarter and set aside.
Coarsely chop the remaining cauliflower and stems into 1" pieces. You will need 8 cups of cauliflower.
Melt 3 tbsp of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat Add the onions, leeks, curry and coarsely chopped cauliflower. Season with 2 tsp salt. Cover with a parchment lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are almost tender, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the parchment lid.
Pour in the milk, cream, and water and increase heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, skimming off the foam from time to time.
Working in batches, transfer the soup to the vita-mix and puree, starting at the lowest speed and slowly increasing speed until it is smooth and velvety. Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed. Transfer to a large saucepan and keep warm. (It can be made ahead and refrigerated for 2 days.)
Fill a small, deep pot with 1" of oil and heat over medium heat until 300F. Set a cooking rack over a baking sheet and line with paper towels.
While the oil heats, peel the beet and slice off about 1/2" from the top. Slice the beet into rounds that are slightly thicker than paper-thin. Reserve only the full rounds.
Carefully add a few beets to the oil and fry, turning them with a wire skimmer or slotted spoon as the edges begin to curl and pressing gently to keep them submerged. You will see a great deal of bubbling from around the beets as the moisture in them evaporates. When the bubbling stops (1 to 1 1/2 mins) the beets will be crsp. Transfer to the rack and season with salt. They can be kept warm in a low oven.
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the vinegar and reserved cauliflower and blanch until tender, 4-6 mins. The vinegar keeps the cauliflower white. Melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter in a medium frying pan over med-high heat, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns a rich golden brown. Add the florets and saute until a rich golden brown. Set aside.
To serve: reheat the soup, adding water to thin if needed. Check seasonings. Pour the soup into a bowl. Top with a few florets, several torn croutons, and a stack of beet chips. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Serve the remaining florets, croutons, and chips in separate bowls on the side.
2 heads cauliflower (4-5 lbs each)
4 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 c. coarsely chopped onion
3/4 c. coarsely chopped leeks (white and light green parts onl
1/4 tsp yellow curry powder or madras curry powder
kosher salt
2 c. milk
2 c. heavy cream
2 c. water
peanut or canola oil
1 medium red beet
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
Torn Croutons
Extra virgin olive oil
fresh ground pepper
Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and cut out the core. Trim off the stems and reserve them. For the garnish, trim 2 c. florets about the size of a quarter and set aside.
Coarsely chop the remaining cauliflower and stems into 1" pieces. You will need 8 cups of cauliflower.
Melt 3 tbsp of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat Add the onions, leeks, curry and coarsely chopped cauliflower. Season with 2 tsp salt. Cover with a parchment lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are almost tender, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the parchment lid.
Pour in the milk, cream, and water and increase heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, skimming off the foam from time to time.
Working in batches, transfer the soup to the vita-mix and puree, starting at the lowest speed and slowly increasing speed until it is smooth and velvety. Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed. Transfer to a large saucepan and keep warm. (It can be made ahead and refrigerated for 2 days.)
Fill a small, deep pot with 1" of oil and heat over medium heat until 300F. Set a cooking rack over a baking sheet and line with paper towels.
While the oil heats, peel the beet and slice off about 1/2" from the top. Slice the beet into rounds that are slightly thicker than paper-thin. Reserve only the full rounds.
Carefully add a few beets to the oil and fry, turning them with a wire skimmer or slotted spoon as the edges begin to curl and pressing gently to keep them submerged. You will see a great deal of bubbling from around the beets as the moisture in them evaporates. When the bubbling stops (1 to 1 1/2 mins) the beets will be crsp. Transfer to the rack and season with salt. They can be kept warm in a low oven.
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the vinegar and reserved cauliflower and blanch until tender, 4-6 mins. The vinegar keeps the cauliflower white. Melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter in a medium frying pan over med-high heat, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns a rich golden brown. Add the florets and saute until a rich golden brown. Set aside.
To serve: reheat the soup, adding water to thin if needed. Check seasonings. Pour the soup into a bowl. Top with a few florets, several torn croutons, and a stack of beet chips. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Serve the remaining florets, croutons, and chips in separate bowls on the side.
