I just completed my list of resolutions for 2015.  Categorized into personal, business, and family goals my list is extensive. It’s clear that I’m going to have to go without sleep one night a week to accomplish a fraction of my goals, but just looking at this list of industrious possibility fills me with energy for 2015.  Fresh starts are good, aren’t they?

Among other things, my goals include reading 48 books this year, planting a garden, and painting the trim and baseboards in our house.  In my kitchen, as I mentioned in last week’s blog post, I want to focus more on vegetable cookery.

Yesterday, when I went to the grocery store I filled my basket with produce.  Spaghetti squash, sweet potatoes, leeks, and cauliflower all came home with me.  My head was swirling with ideas about how to prepare my bounty, but today, as temperatures dropped, all I could think about was a belly warming bowl of soup.

This soup is what one needs on a cold winter day.  Thick and creamy, one would not be off base to question just how much butter and cream I used in its preparation.  In reality, there’s no cream; just some Yukon gold potatoes added for body and a creamy mouth-feel.  There is some butter, although at 2 tablespoons it is minimal and one could easily replace it with olive oil if being abstemious is your thing.

While restraint may be exercised with the butter, don’t hold back on the garam masala.  In addition to adding mystique, the spices in garam masala, which translates in Indian as “warm” or “hot spice blend,” bring extra warmth into each spoonful.  Happy cooking!

Curried Cauliflower Soup – Printer Friendly Recipe
Serves 6

Yukon gold potatoes add body and creaminess to this soup without the use of cream. Let the soup cool just slightly (it should still be very warm) before serving. The flavors come out more when it’s not piping hot.

1 large cauliflower head, stem removed and head cut into small florets
¾ lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 large celery ribs, trimmed and finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon garam masala spice
6 cups homemade chicken or vegetable broth (or less-sodium store-bought broth)
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garnish: minced parsley or chive

Add the butter and olive oil to a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the butter melts, add the finely chopped celery, carrots, and yellow onion. Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the garam masala. Add the cubed potatoes and cauliflower florets and stir to combine. Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes and florets are very soft.

Remove the soup from the heat. Working in small batches (for safety reasons never fill your blender more than halfway full when working with hot liquids), add a few ladles of soup to the blender and process until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot and puree the rest of the soup in batches. Season the pureed soup to taste with salt and pepper.   Garnish with minced parsley or minced chives. Enjoy.