Seriously stunning soup

Today I wanted to use up some of the massive head of cauliflower I bought a while back. The H took our little guy to daycare, so the house was empty and my lunch options were wide open. Perfect time to try something my boys wouldn't appreciate!

A quick recipe search led me to this recipe for Curried Cauliflower Soup. With a few modifications (read the comments and adjust to suit your tastes or spice cupboard) it turned out so well that I literally sat here at my desk exclaiming (yep, out loud) OH. YUM. Ohmygosh this is GOOD! Mmmm, SO GOOD. Mmm...!" I'm totally not ashamed of it, because it really was. And I thought I didn't like curry powder! (Well, aside from my delicious squash creation.)

This had a nice spicy kick to it, which I adore, and that is totally adjustable depending on the proportions of seasoning you use. If I hadn't added the shrimp I might've gotten The H to taste it, but that dumb seafood allergy tends to get in the way. More for me. It would also be fine without the shrimp as a vegetarian soup.

Here is how I made it. You can peek at the link above to see the original.

Curried Cauliflower and Shrimp Soup

1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

1 large onion, cut into bite-sized chunks

3 cloves garlic, rough chopped

Olive oil for drizzling

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups vegetable broth

Half of a 12oz can low-fat evaporated milk

10-12 large frozen cooked shrimp, cleaned and de-veined

1 cup frozen green peas

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp curry powder

Coarse salt

1. Preheat oven to 375*

2. Lay the cauliflower, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

(I could have eaten it right after this step, never mind the soup, if I had a tasty protein source to go with it... SO GOOD, I'm telling you. This will probably be the way I prepare the rest of the World's Biggest Cauliflower. The combination of roasted veg with the sweet, soft, roasted garlic and a cube of onion that I had as a sample was so well rounded and flavorful--simply divine.)

3. Meanwhile, thaw the shrimp in a bowl of cold water. Combine milk and broths in a large pot and bring to a boil.

4. When the veggies are roasted and slightly browned, add them to the broth/milk. Add seasonings (to taste--you don't have to follow my measurements) and cover; simmer 15 minutes while you remove the shrimp tails, dice the shrimp, and defrost the peas.

5. Remove one-half to three-quarters of the veggies from the pot and place in a blender with some of the broth; puree to desired consistency. Add back to pot; add shrimp and peas. Stir well to combine and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings.

6. EAT IT!