Cauliflower and Potato Soup

Since we don't have a very warm climate in Iceland our only hope for growing something we can eat is potatoes and hardy vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, beets, carrots etc. The humble potato is by many considered a national hero since it saved so many people from starving in the old days. The older generation still only boils the potatoes and serves them as we do bread and pasta and would never experiment save for the once-a-year caramelised potatoes around Christmas. New potatoes with butter and salt are considered a delicacy and my father says that no meal is complete without potatoes. Although we have hot water and green houses we mostly grow tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in them and do so all year round. Although I don't like these forced vegetables, it is better to buy locally than exported in my belief. Every fruit we eat is important (not very nice for the environment). Instead, we have the clean air and excellent water which support the few vegs we grow in our gardens and boy do they taste good! We have a small window for growing our vegs and we harvest in late August or September, after that the frost sets in quite quickly.


A mild and lovely soup, perfect for autumn

This recipe is:

  • Egg free
  • Nut free

This recipe is easy to make:

  • Lactose (dairy) free

Cauliflower and Potato Soup

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 400 grams (14 oz) cauliflower head, florets broken off stem
  • 1 potato, peeled and chopped coarsely
  • 4 spring onions, 3 chopped coarsely, 1 finely (for garnish)
  • 1 tablespoon potato flour (or spelt flour)
  • 30 grams (1 oz) cheese (such as parmesan or cheddar), grated
  • 500 millilitres (17 fluid oz) water
  • 375 millilitres (13¾ fluid oz) semi-skimmed milk (or full fat milk)
  • 2 yeast free vegetable stock cubes
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • Salt (Himalaya or sea salt) to taste
  • Black pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Break the cauliflower into small florets using your hands.
  2. Peel and chop the potato coarsely.
  3. Chop 3 spring onions coarsely, chop 1 finely and keep for garnish later.
  4. Put the chopped potatoes and cauliflower florets into the saucepan.
  5. Add the 375 millilitres semi-skimmed milk, 500 millilitres water and the 2 stock cubes into the saucepan.
  6. Let the vegetables simmer for 10 minutes or until the potatoes and cauliflower have become tender.
  7. Place the sieve on top of the big bowl.
  8. Pour the saucepan ingredients into the big bowl. Set aside.
  9. Set the cooked vegetables aside.
  10. Place the saucepan on the stove again.
  11. Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil on very low heat in the saucepan.
  12. Add the 1 tablespoon spelt. Stir vigorously for 1 minute.
  13. Add the sieved potato/cauliflower liquid into the saucepan. Stir for 10 seconds.
  14. Turn the heat up and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
  15. Add the cooked potato/cauliflower/spring onion into the saucepan.
  16. Use an electric wand for blending. Blend for 30 seconds for a fairly fine texture. You can also use a food processor or a blender (although you need to cool the soup for 15 minutes and blend in batches).
  17. Grate 30 grams parmesan into the soup.
  18. Heat for 1 minute.
  19. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  20. Garnish with chopped spring onion.

Tips

  • Serve with nice bread.
  • The soup is even better the next day once the flavours have really settled. Pour the soup into plastic containers and re-heat the next day.
  • For a thinner soup add more water.
  • If the coconut oil is cold (in which case it becomes solid), place the jar in a bowl filled with hot water for a couple of minutes.          
  • You can use regular stock cubes instead of yeast free ones.
  • You can use chicken stock instead of vegetable stock.      
  • You can use rice milk or almond milk instead of regular milk.
  • The soup can be frozen and reheated later.  
  • For a coarser soup with lumps and bumps reserve some of the cauliflower (before blending), chop coarsely and add to soup just before serving.