Cauliflower Soup

The Omnivore: I would order this in a restaurant.

Branny: No you wouldn’t

The Omnivore: Yes I would.

Branny: NO with emphasis You wouldn’t.

The Omnivore gives a ‘what the hell? why are you being difficult look when I’m simply trying to compliment your cooking

Branny: When was the last time you saw Cauliflower Soup on a restaurant menu?  Or even saw cauliflower in a restaurant?

The Omnivore concedes

Branny: But in my cafe this is the soup I’ll be known for.  People will say, “Just try the cauliflower soup.  I promise you won’t regret it.  I go there just for the cauliflower soup.  It really is *just perfect*.”

The Omnivore: Yeah and people will drive from miles around just to eat your soup.  You won’t even need a soup of the day because everyone will want to eat this soup everyday.

There.  I admit it.  Sometimes the Omnivore and I play In Branny’s Cafe. I don’t actually have a cafe.  I don’t actually plan to have a cafe.  But, well, we’ve basically got all the decor picked out and the menu set in stone.  We’re cool like that.

One Year Ago: Flatbread

Cauliflower Soup (6 servings, inspired by Pioneer Woman)
4 cups broth
1 cup whole milk
2 T flour
1/2 cup sour cream (reduced fat)
2 carrots, diced
2 celery, sliced
1 onion, diced
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 T dried basil
2 T snipped fresh parsley
1 tsp salt

In a lightly oiled dutch oven, cook onions 3-4 minutes.  Do not brown.  Just sweat.  Add carrots and celery and continue the sweating process for 3-4 minutes.  Stir in dried basil and 1 tsp salt.  Add cauliflower florets and cook on low heat, level 2 or 3, with the lid on, for 15 minutes.  Pour in broth and bring to a simmer.  Whisk 2 T flour into warmed milk.  Add to soup.  Stir to combine.  Just before serving, stir in sour cream.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley and pepper, if desired.

The Omnivore suggested adding bacon.  Then he took that back.  Apparently the soup is perfect as it is.

6 bowl-sized servings
Calories 128
Total Fat 5.3 g
Cholesterol 17.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 16.1 g
Dietary Fiber 4.6 g
Sugars 4.3 g
Protein 6.2 g

Can you use lowfat milk?  Probably.  I used whole because that’s what we keep in the house (the Omnivore and his whole milk habit…don’t get me started).  Would I ever use skim?  Probably not.  At only 130 cal a bowl, the whole milk isn’t so bad.  If, however, you only keep lower fat  milk in the house, the substitution will probably be fine.  But I’ll stick to whole.