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Creative Leftovers: pureed cauliflower soup


Lori in PA

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I procured a couple of large, very fresh cauliflowers last week and turned both into roasted cauliflower on two separate nights. A few days ago I transformed the leftovers into a simple pureed soup (homemade chicken stock, onion, butter, thyme, and said cauliflower). It is delicious but rather ugly -- looks most like cream gravy for biscuits -- and it isn't getting voluntarily eaten by the rest of the family. Normally, I'd just eat it up myself, but there is quite a bit of it. I know I can freeze it in single servings, but I'd rather make it into something else. My only idea so far is to use some in a souffle -- the thickness of the soup is similar to the bechamel used in them. I'm afraid it will only make an ugly souffle, though. Other ideas?

~ Lori in PA

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Sorry, I don't have any suggestions... But I've got some curried butternut & cauliflower soup, and I'd love to be able to turn that into something interesting -- like a souffle (never made one before), or well, anything else. So any suggestions, I might follow it too. :smile:

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Or you could make a roasted red pepper puree and use it to garnish and brighten up the roasted cauliflower soup.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

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Why not use it as the liquidy part of a veggie pot pie? Cut up your favorite vegs, stir into the soup, add a couple handsful of grated gruyere, and put into individual pie crusts. Or bake it in a casserole-style dish with herbed drop biscuits on top.

You could also vary the flavor of the soup a little by adding ginger, garlic, tumeric, and cardamom.

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You could add other things to it to improve the color. I am thinking particularly of curry powder, which would bring it more towards the yellow side of the spectrum. Curry and cauliflower happen to go together brilliantly. Then a little chopped flatleaf parsley for color, maybe a dice of tomato sprinkled on the top... you've got more or less the same soup, but with a different flavor and color plus some added texture, with very little effort.

--

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These are some very good ideas. I used a cup of it in a souffle with parmesan for a simple dinner tonight -- can't say it was loved by my kids -- the cauliflower taste is very strong because that's basically all it is. I froze two portions for future lunches for me. I think I'll add curry to the remainder and serve it with sandwiches for another meal.

~ Lori in PA

My blog: http://inmykitcheninmylife.blogspot.com/

My egullet blog: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=89647&hl=

"Cooking is not a chore, it is a joy."

- Julia Child

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Use it as the binder in croquetas. You can use other strongly flavored ingredients to compliment the cauliflower flavor. (Curry sounds good, or a strong cheese).

"You dont know everything in the world! You just know how to read!" -an ah-hah! moment for 6-yr old Miss O.

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Believe it or not, Asfoetida--just a pinch--works wonders with cauliflower. Something in that liason makes it more than the sum of its parts and ends up tasting remarkably like truffle.

Don't stick your nose in the asfoetida jar at the store and take a big whiff, or you'll lose your appetite. Don't ask me how I know this.

This whole love/hate thing would be a lot easier if it was just hate.

Bring me your finest food, stuffed with your second finest!

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How about using it as the liquid component in a casserole?

If it would work with potatoes, it would work with pasta as well.

Put some in a squeeze bottle for plate decoration.

I would also try making it into a dip with some pureed chickpeas or melted cheese.

I like the curry idea best myself.

Failing that, there's always the first cauliflower stucco patching material.

Screw it. It's a Butterball.
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