In Defense of Maligned Vegetables: Velvet Cauliflower-Leek Soup

Who determines, and for what strange reason, the social status of a vegetable?
        -- M.F.K. Fisher

So begins the section entitled "Selected Vegetable History" in the back of Claudia Manz's darling chapbook of vegetable poems, "The Last One Eaten: A Maligned Vegetable History".  Imagine my surprise when about a month ago, I received an email from a blog reader in Colorado, requesting my address so that she could mail me a copy of her book.  And then (having forgotten about it and certainly forgotten that I sent her my work address)  imagine my further surprise upon receiving this dear gift in my mailbox at work, no less. 

In addition, I received a beautiful letter from the author, which I won't share with you since she says too many nice things about this blog and I'm going to struggle against shameless self-promotion, at least here at home.  Suffice it to say that she mentions apricot curd, ratatouille and roast cauliflower.  This delightful person is not only a poet, but also cooks for people recovering from illness or chemotherapy.  Hence her use of many vegetables (all those yummy anti-oxidants).  It seems Claudia's friends and acquaintances have at times turned up their noses at her concotions of roots, tubers, seedpods, fungi, and our friends the sweetly cruciferous flowers, so she penned these verses in defense of her vegetable loves.  I'm sure her cuisine serves the same purpose, since she speaks in her letter of having both her culinary clients and friends at dinner parties come to the realization that they actually like vegetables. 

Although G is one of those who has a fair list of vegetable loathes (onions, avocado, eggplant, mushrooms, olives, beets), fortunately there are also many that he does love -- and some that he has been persuaded to like.  Strong in the first category is cauliflower, and a front-runner in the second would be leeks, both of which composed the backbone of yesterday's soup.  So here is a new recipe:  Velvet Caulflower-Leek Soup.  Claudia, this one's for you. 

Velvet Cauliflower-Leek Soup

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
2 large leeks, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced
4 shallots, finely chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 large head of cauliflower, cleaned and broken into small florets
2 cups milk
3-4 cups water
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. dried dill weed (or fresh dill, should you happen to have some)
grating of fresh nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 - 1 cup heavy cream (optional, or may be replaced with light cream or half-and-half)
Snipped fresh dill for garnish

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large soup pot, and saute the leeks and shallots until tender and translucent.  Add the potatoes and cauliflower, cumin, paprika, and cayenne, and let everything fry up gently for a couple of minutes.  Pour the milk into the pot with the vegetables, and add just enough water to barely cover everything.  Add the dill, and cook until everything is quite tender, about 15 minutes.  Grate in some fresh nutmeg.  Puree about half of the soup in the blender.  This puree will have a perfect, velvety texture.  You could puree all of it, if you wish, but I like both a creamy and chunky texture, so I puree half of it and mix it through the remaining chunky soup.  If you have fresh dill, you can toss some more in the blender at the end of pureeing, and just pulse it through till finely chopped.  At this point you can add cream if you wish.  Cream is certainly very luxurious and delicious, and even though we used it, I'm sure it's not absolutely necessary; the soup is pretty creamy and rich-tasting on its own.  If you do add the cream, wait until it's mixed through to adjust seasoning before serving. 

This is especially delicious with homemade parmesan cheese croutons.  And a grilled cheese sandwich alongside wouldn't go amiss either. 

Comments

[Nani]

It's raining. I'm fasting. Can I have some soup, please? If you could have that delivered to my apartment, at exactly 45 minutes after sundown, all the better. Many thanks.

[Julie]

Actually, Nani, I can't think of a better way to break your fast. I'm going to make another batch this weekend, since there's a cauliflower in the fridge that needs to be souped -- but no deliveries tonight, except for my aged dad, who's getting organic brisket and mushroom gravy, creamy mash and creamed spinach...a comfort-food dinner for Yom Kippur.

[Gloria]

Ooh, I made the soup the other day, after you posted your recipe because I love cauliflower. It turned out great. Thanks!

[Nani]

Ahh! Bring me soup on Friday, then. :) I'll love you forever.