Growing up in my grandmother's kitchen, cauliflower was prepared frequently in a number of recipes everyone always enjoyed eating. She brought these familiar recipes with her from Europe in 1937 to Palestine and then to America in 1940, and continued to prepare them until she was 91. The ones I remember and carry on the tradition of making for my family and friends include cauliflower croquettes, puréed cauliflower and cauliflower floret soup. The recipe below was inspired by my grandmother's love for me. I created this recipe for my children when they first began sipping soup.
Cauliflower comes in a variety of colors (orange, green, purple and white). White cauliflower is the most common variety. It is among a small group of white vegetables having strong nutritive properties.
Directions
- Sauté the shallot in olive oil.
- Add garlic and florets and cook for 1–3 minutes.
- Add wine and simmer until almost completely reduced.
- Add stock and half and half.
- Bring the soup just to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Cool, then purée until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped chives.
℞ M.D. Notes
- Cauliflower is an excellent source of the antioxidant vitamin C. It is also a good source of fiber and vitamin K. Vitamin K supports bone and blood health.
- A great soup to pack up in the morning for an afternoon snack. Great tasting at room temperature, cold or hot. A great soup for babies and children, minus the wine.
- If looking to increase calories, use heavy cream instead of fat-free half and half.
- This soup is a wonderful snack on days during chemotherapy.
- Puréed soup is very soothing for a sore mouth. Adjust the temperature for comfortable sipping.
- It may also be helpful for symptoms of constipation.
- According to the AICR second expert report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective, cruciferous vegetables probably protect against some types of cancers.
- Garlic is a good source of vitamin C, an excellent source of vitamin B6 and the mineral manganese.
- Garlic is recognized as having anti-inflammatory properties.
