From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We all lose our heads from time to time, but not with the same finality as Madame du Barry lost hers. While not a royal, the comtesse, once mistress to King Louis the XVth , was guillotined following the false testimony of her chef who detested her imperious behavior. Many dishes in classic French cuisine, especially those containing cauliflower, are appended with her name. Not because she lost her head, but because her coif resembled a head of cauliflower in color and appearance.This is a simplified version of Creme du Barry. Almost all the butter and cream have been removed from the recipe and caraway seeds are, instead, added to provide flavor. The soup is simple to make and uses only a handful of readily available ingredients. It is really quite lovely. I know those of you who try it will enjoy it. It's an easy way to use the cauliflower that is flooding markets at this time of year and it would be a perfect first course for a holiday meal. Here's the recipe.
Cauliflower Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
1 medium all-purpose potato, cubed
6 cups chicken Stock
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Garnish: Chopped chives or parsley
Directions:
1) Warm oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onions and caraway seed and cook, stirring, until onions are soft but not brown, about 10 minutes.
2) Stir in cauliflower, potatoes, and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender. Remove form the heat and allow to cool slightly.
3) Transfer to a blender or a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.Add lemon juice and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Thin soup with stock or milk if too thick. Pour through a fine mesh strainer. Pour into warm bowls. Garnish with chives or parsley. Yield: 4 servings.
You might also enjoy these recipes:
White Bean Cauliflower and Bacon Soup - Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
Cauliflower and Potato Salad - Guilty Kitchen
French Cauliflower Salad - Pham Fatale
Cauliflower Curry - The Spamwise Chronicles
Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup - One Perfect Bite
Gobi Manchurian - One Perfect Bite
Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry - Closet Cooking
Roasted Cauliflower with Tomatoes and Black Olives - The Recipe Girl
This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday
62 comments :
Cauliflower at home means a stirfry or with gravy.. never ever thought of a soup..
Hi Mary! How fortuitous - we're shortly to be swamped by the cauli's that grew so well while we were travelling! Weird that OZ and US seem to be aligned for cauliflower maturity?!?!
What a lovely soup. I love so many soups that have such simple flavors, brings out the star ingredient!
Your soup looks delicious. I have a cauliflower soup tagged to make this week too. Great minds! ;-)
Yum, this looks creamy and luscious! I love broccoli and cauliflower both, but usually make broccoli cheese soup. Sometimes I'll throw in some cauliflower,as well. I love the stories that accompany your recipes just as much as the recipes themselves, and this is the best so far!!
I nvr have cauliflower soup b4, usually we will stir fly. Sound yummy.
Sounds delicious!
My Blue Monday.
Cauliflower is an understated vegetables. I love it. It soaks up flavours.
a good soup for the coming winter evenings !
Cheers
What a lovely Soup! Looks so creamy and delicious!
Oh yum this looks warming and hearty, perfect for this un-Spring weather we are having down here!
Cauliflower was not my favorite vegetable when I was a child. Of course since then a lot of time has passed. Now I really enjoy beautiful dishes like this soup.
I'm not sure I can get my mind around the idea of cauliflower soup, but it looks and sounds too good not to try.
I love cauliflower soup but mine is loaded with butter and cream -- I must try this -- I love the addition of the caraway!
This is a very unique soup, but looks yummy
oh that soup looks so comforting and delicious!
I love cau.iflower soup!
This recipe will be such a nice change for us from the basic cauliflower that I keep making. Have a wonderful Labor day.
♥, Susan
Thank you, Mary, and Madame. This will certainly go on my autumn shopping list. We're already dreaming of soups and stews.
Oh to be undone by one's chef. What an ignoble end. I wonder if he prepared her last meal?
Best,
Bonnie
Good morning Mary, I must try this soup. It is sooo easy all I need to buy is the cauliflower and some chicken broth. I usually steam cauliflower and put a bit of milk and cheese on top. The weather here has turned chilly already. We had 48 degrees on Sat. night and the days have been much cooler. Soup time and I LOVE making homemade soup. Smile.
I am happy to visit you today as always.
Have a great Labor Day.
Hugs, Jeanne
I see it was another bloggers white bean and cauliflower recipe. What a nice addition, a list of recipe links with a common ingredient.
European history is so sordid! Everyone was always being guillotined for the craziest things.
This soup looks delicious though. I can't wait to be bombarded with cauliflower so I have an excuse to make it!
I love cauliflower soup but have never had it with caraway seeds... great idea... thanks so much for sharing it!
Awesome bowl of tempting soup..looks very yummy..
I just LOVE the history you post with the recipes. I eat cauliflower but I've never had cauliflower soup....I'll keep this for the winter when I become a soup eating fiend!
I have something for you over on my blog....
Looks delicious Mary! Perfect for those cool evenings that are just around the corner.
I am one of those people who love cauliflower and have never made cauliflower soup. Thanks for this easy recipe and the history.
Nothing like having a bowl of warm soup on a cold day! Not to mention such a nutritious one too! Looks delicious!
Mary, I will give this a try. Cauliflower is a favorite here, and I'm always ready to try a new recipe. This looks delicious and healthy.
Happy Labor Day on this Blue Monday. ~ Sarah
PS
My post to day is as guest blogger at the QCI Blog. Hope you'll stop by if you have time.
Looks quite lovely!
I'm a fan of any soup; this one looks like a winner.
Soup, perfect for the season. summer is almost over and it's getting cooler at night.
http://www.jnjmilestones.com/2010/09/blue-monday-snuggie.html
I have bags of cauliflower in the freezer (who were we planting for?...a football team?) so this recipe will be a welcome change. I love the taste of caraway, and so does TGD.
It looks yummy in that blue bowl.
Happy Blue Monday, Mary! Check out my book giveaway.
I love cauliflower but never tried its soup though..your recipe looks yum yum..will give it a shot!!..Thanks for sharing dear:)
US Masala
Wow Mary, that looks like it's packing alot of beautiful flavours! Yum!
Oh this looks so yummy and with cooler temperatures on the way I will definitely try this on a fall evening! Thanks for sharing!
Miss Bloomers
The weathere is cooling down fast and this soup with some crusty bread will be so good for a light lunch.
I love that the butter and cream are not used, but you still get this amazingly creamy looking soup! It's still so warm here right now, but I could sure go for a bowl of that right now!
I love most all soups. This sounds so good. I would love having a big bowl for my dinner. I am sure you always have a wonderful meal on any day.
So simple, healthy and delicious. Nourishment soup, good for the soul.
I think you just solved my 'What to do with the cauliflower' problem :)
Hope you are doing well...
That is a lovely soup. I never think of using cauliflower for soup. Thanks for the idea!
delicious I made this once yet to post, following an Egyptian recipe
thanks for the comment and visit
keep in touch
There's no way you could have known how much I've been thinking about cauliflower soup lately. It's still so warm here, do you think this would be okay served warm (as opposed to hot)?
I actually just bought a giant head of cauliflower and I was wondering how to use it all! It was so cheap, I couldn't resist. :) What a fantastic soup!
I had cauliflower "au gratin" yesterday, but I also love it in a soup. I like the inclusion of caraway seeds!
Love this recipe! I used to order a cream of cauliflower soup from a favorite restaurant, when I lived in Maryland. Will have to try this one, as it looks fab! Great story, too!
We love cauliflower soup. I've also been known to mix broccoli in with the recipe.
Simplicity at its best! The soup looks delicious :o) Love the little history lesson as well!
I am loving this cooler weather - time to make soup. The cauliflower soup recipe sounds amazing.
This looks so yummy--I need to try it. Cooler weather is on the way and soup is goof on a cool day.
never thought that a soup can be made out of cauliflower.....very innovative idea and recipe.....
Boy, this looks like a yummy dish. I might have to try this for Mr. Magpie as he recuperates. Which brings me to a question, Mary... what would you substitute for bacon bits in a recipe? We aren't meat eaters, and I was wondering if there is some ingredient that would give a recipe the same kick. I'm going to make a recipe for black bean soup that called for them. Thanks for any help.
XO,
Sheila :-)
always love reading your stories that precede the recipe- wish I had your skills...The soup looks tempting and bet it tastes great with those new additions!
This is definitely a way I can learn to LOVE cauliflower Mary:D
Mary, the cauliflower soup sounds wonderful and I just happen to have a beautiful head waiting in the refrigerator. Something about that bit of lemon juice addition has my taste buds working.
I hope you've enjoyed your weekend.
Healthy and yummy, can't wait to try this...
Something about the flavors of cauliflower and caraway. They just go together so well!
What a delicious looking soup. Such nice flavors together!
I really never knew that story! Must look it up, it is fascinating! And this soup is beautiful! Will be perfect when the weather turns a tad colder. I love cauliflower!
Love all the flavors in this soup and that it's so easy to prepare.
I love cauliflower soup and sure could use some on this cold rainy day!
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