This past week with the weather showing no let up from it’s continual barrage of cold, snow, ice, more snow, and slush I’ve found my soup making madness continues.
I first made a quick butternut squash soup. Later in the week I decided to use up a cauliflower in a new way by making a creamy cauliflower soup.
Both soups were extremely simple to make, very comforting with subtle flavors, and scored high on the healthy scale as they were made with chicken stock, not cream, very little butter if any, veggies, and spices.
After enjoying each individually I decided to try something I’ve seen in restaurants, but have never attempted myself. With the leftover soup I ladled a small amount of one into one side of the bowl, and carefully spooned the other into the other half. With a knife I made a few swirls creating what I think is a pretty nice presentation. I finished it off with a few gratings of nutmeg on the cauliflower soup and some freshly grated Parmesan on the butternut squash. I’m not sure how the professionals do it, but for my first attempt I spooned it in the bowl while cold, and then reheated in the microwave. And who knew that butternut squash and cauliflower would complement each other so well?
Butternut Squash Soup (adapted from a recipe from Cathy Lowe)
Butternut Squash Soup
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 butternut squash, (2 to 3 pounds), peeled and seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tart green apple, chopped
4 to 6 cups chicken stock, depending on the thickness you want
nutmeg
cinnamon
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese
In a large pot melt butter. Add the onion, celery and carrot, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until translucent. Add the squash, apple and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until squash is tender, 15 to 20 minutes Puree by using an immersion blender or by removing with slotted spoon to blender, and returning blended squash to pot. Stir and season with grated nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan cheese, and a some grated nutmeg on top.
Silky Cauliflower Soup (adapted from a recipe from David Lieberman)
Silky Cauliflower Soup
1 head cauliflower
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart low-sodium chicken stock
½ cuf finely grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly grated black pepper
grated nutmeg and additional grated Parmesan for garnish
Remove the leaves and thick core from the cauliflower, coarsely chop, and reserve. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until softened, translucent, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and, using an immersion blender, puree the soup, or puree in small batches in a blender and return it to the pot. Add the Parmesan and stir until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan and a sprinkling of grated nutmeg.