Cauliflower and Brie Soup

Lets face it: you probably haven't had cauliflower in more than 3 different styles: raw on a veggie platter, steamed, and (if you're lucky) deep fried.  I like healthy food, and cauliflower is one of those things, but it isn't exactly a kitchen staple of mine.  So why not consume it with brie cheese and heavy cream?  Again, a nice thing to have in the winter.  Very warm, but you have to blend it well to get it smooth.  This wasn't my mom's favorite as it was still pretty grainy after all of the blending.  I see what she is saying.  Maybe it isn't the greatest texture, but we really liked the flavor.  Definitely make it with some soft French bread for dipping and you'll be set.

2 heads cauliflower (3 ½#), trimmed and cleaned

10 Tablespoons butter

2 medium onions, peeled and diced

1 head garlic, cloves peeled

1 medium bunch celery, diced

Kosher salt and pepper

1 ½ qts chicken stock

2 Tablespoons flour

8 oz Brie cheese with rind, cut up in med dice

¼ c heavy cream

Clean cauliflower by removing leaves, coring, and cutting into florets—set aside

Melt 8 T butter in large soup pot.  Do not let the butter brown.  Add onion, garlic, and celery, cover the vegetables and cook over med heat to “sweat” them, stirring occasionally, until they are tender, about 5 min.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.  Stir in the cauliflower, cover, and cook for 5 – 7 minutes.

Combine the cauliflower and stock, and puree (mixer, blender or food processor).  Mix until creamy white and smooth.  Return to the pot and bring to a boil.

Now make a small amount of light roux to add to the soup.  Melt the remaining 2 T butter in a small saucepan over med heat, stirring constantly, and add the flour.  Cook until the roux smells nutty and is the consistency of wet sand.  Do not brown it.  Whisk into the soup and bring to a simmer.

Add the Brie, a few pieces at a time, and blend until the cheese is melted into the soup.  Add cream and adjust seasoning to taste.

Makes 4 quarts—enough for 10

Big Easy Gumbo

Our second shot at gumbo on this blog was a more traditional style with a roux, shrimp, chicken, sausage, the whole works.  My mom wanted to do this recipe for her monthly book club party, in honor of January's book, "A Confederacy of Dunces."  For those of you who don't know, the book takes place in th 60's in New Orleans, making the connection to the gumbo.  The ladies of the book club enjoyed this gumbo and so did we.  Easy to make, very nicely balanced in flavor between the shrimp and the sausage.  I think we preferred this over the gumbo z'herbes, but both are very tasty.  Surprisingly we felt this was a bit lighter as well even though there is more meat.  All in all, a great January meal.

• 1/2  cup  peanut oil
• 1/2  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1  cup  chopped sweet onion
• 1  cup  chopped green bell pepper
• 1  cup  chopped celery
• 2  teaspoons  Creole seasoning
• 2  teaspoons  minced garlic
• 3  14-oz. cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 4  cups  shredded cooked chicken
• 1/2  pound  andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 1/2  cups  frozen black-eyed peas, thawed
• 1  pound  peeled, large raw shrimp
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; gradually whisk in flour, and cook, whisking constantly, 5 to 7 minutes or until flour is chocolate colored. (Do not burn mixture.)
  Reduce heat to medium. Stir in onion and next 4 ingredients, and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Gradually stir in chicken broth; add chicken and next 2 ingredients. Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.