Neapolitan Cauliflower Soup
"As is often the case with Italain food, this soup uses just a few basic ingredients to showcase a star vegetable. A purist would even shudder at the cheese. Make this soup as garlicky and spicy as you like, but be sure to serve it with lots of crusty Italian bread."
6 Servings
1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), separated into florets
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups hot Vegetable Broth or canned low-sodium chicken broth*
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
Freshly grated Pecorino cheese
Trim the stems from the cauliflower florets and cut the stems into 1/2-inch pieces, then break the florets into 1/2-inch pieces. Fill a large bowl with 2 quarts of cold water and stir in the vinegar. Add the cauliflower pieces and stir to clean thoroughly.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Drop the cauliflower into the boiling water, return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the cauliflower thoroughly.
In a large saucepan, cook the garlic and hot red pepper in the olive oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent it from browining. Stir in hot Vegetable Broth, salt and parsley.
Using a slotted spoon, remove 1 cup of the cooked cauliflower from the soup and puree it in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return it to the soup, increase the heat to moderate and heat through. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle on a generous amount of cheese.
*Nancy Verde Barr's Vegetable Broth
Makes about 6 Cups
2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium onions, quartered
3 celery ribs, with tops, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 peeled fresh or drained canned plum tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 small bunch of parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a large saucepan or stockpot, place the carrots, onions, celery, tomatoes, bay leaf, parsley and salt. Cover with 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer 2 hours. Strain before using.
(The vegetable stock can be cooled and kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.)
Recipe Source: The Best of Food & Wine - 1991 Collection
Just as a side note I am reading Nancy Verde Barr's Culinary Novel, "Last Bite," and I am really enjoying it.
"As is often the case with Italain food, this soup uses just a few basic ingredients to showcase a star vegetable. A purist would even shudder at the cheese. Make this soup as garlicky and spicy as you like, but be sure to serve it with lots of crusty Italian bread."
6 Servings
1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), separated into florets
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups hot Vegetable Broth or canned low-sodium chicken broth*
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
Freshly grated Pecorino cheese
Trim the stems from the cauliflower florets and cut the stems into 1/2-inch pieces, then break the florets into 1/2-inch pieces. Fill a large bowl with 2 quarts of cold water and stir in the vinegar. Add the cauliflower pieces and stir to clean thoroughly.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Drop the cauliflower into the boiling water, return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the cauliflower thoroughly.
In a large saucepan, cook the garlic and hot red pepper in the olive oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent it from browining. Stir in hot Vegetable Broth, salt and parsley.
Using a slotted spoon, remove 1 cup of the cooked cauliflower from the soup and puree it in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return it to the soup, increase the heat to moderate and heat through. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle on a generous amount of cheese.
*Nancy Verde Barr's Vegetable Broth
Makes about 6 Cups
2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium onions, quartered
3 celery ribs, with tops, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 peeled fresh or drained canned plum tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 small bunch of parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a large saucepan or stockpot, place the carrots, onions, celery, tomatoes, bay leaf, parsley and salt. Cover with 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer 2 hours. Strain before using.
(The vegetable stock can be cooled and kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.)
Recipe Source: The Best of Food & Wine - 1991 Collection
Just as a side note I am reading Nancy Verde Barr's Culinary Novel, "Last Bite," and I am really enjoying it.