Roasted curried cauliflower soup

This creamy soup has the nutty flavor of roasted cauliflower, sweet caramelized onions, and a rich broth made with coconut milk.

I love roasted curried cauliflower and make it often. But last week, I took it one step further by adding some homemade vegetable stock (so easy to make your own – tips here) and some coconut milk, et voilà, this beautiful soup was born. It’s creamy and rich with the lovely nutty flavor of roasted cauliflower, the sweetness of caramelized onions and the warm, spicy flavors of places where the birds never need to fly south.

I like to use either grapeseed or peanut oils for roasting veggies because their relatively high smokepoints allow them to withstand the high temperatures of roasting without burning. And that, as Martha Stewart would say, is a good thing.

Toss the cauliflower with onions (or leeks), salt, pepper, and plenty of curry powder and/or garam masala and don’t skimp on the oil. I do this tossing right in the roasting pan to save myself from having to wash a mixing bowl. Then roast it until you’ve got a nice jumbled mess of soft, nutty florets with some nice browning on them.

Your vegetable stock provides the base for the soup while the coconut milk adds a wonderful richness and sweet depth of flavor.

Put it all in a pot and let it simmer for a bit before you blend it – I cooked mine on the woodstove for a while. Then I used my immersion blender to get it smooth and creamy. If you do not already have an immersion blender, get one right now

I like to top my bowl of soup with a dollop of sour cream and some chopped cilantro. It’s good on its own or served over some short grain brown rice.

Roasted Curried Cauliflower Soup
Serves 6

1 large (or 2 small) cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
1 large red onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
Couple generous glugs of oil (grapeseed or peanut)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 teaspoons curry powder and/or garam Masala
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1 can coconut milk or coconut cream
1 quart vegetable stock
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Cilantro, as a garnish
Sour cream, as a garnish (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the cauliflower with the spices, a teaspoon of sea salt, a few grinds of black pepper, onion, garlic and oil until well coated. Turn out onto a thick baking sheet in a single layer and roast, turning several times, for 30-35 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork.

2. Scrape the roasted cauliflower into a pot, add the stock, coconut milk and maple syrup and simmer on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly then blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings, as needed. Top with chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.

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