ingredients:
2 tablespoons e.v.o.o.
1 sweet onion, chopped
0.5 cup half and half (omit or substitute soy milk for vegans)
0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
0.5 teaspoon spanish paprika
1 tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons curry powder
1 bunch cauliflower, chopped
2 cups yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
chopped mint (fresh or dried)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
bacon as garnish, chopped and cooked through (opt.)
listening to: chicane – no ordinary morning
yesterday was the blessed/cursed day known as valentine’s day (depending on your perspective). my husband and i fixed dinner together, and we had a great time coming up with a menu and tweaking it to our specific tastes. of course, no husband and wife can put together something so intricate without a few, ahem, “disputes”, but they were all in good fun, and the memories made from last night are the real reasons why anyone goes through the trouble of buying into a holiday sponsored by hersheys. 
this soup was a specific standout from last night, so i wanted to share it on the blog. it was a great blend of flavors, and the sweetness of the onions combined so nicely with the cauliflower and the potatoes. the curry was just perfect. i know it’s not traditional to use pork in many indian dishes, but a garnish of bacon was a must for us, so i strongly suggest it to other meateaters!
we began by sauteeing the chopped onion in 2 tablespoons of e.v.o.o. on medium heat. once the onions were translucent, we tossed in the cauliflower and the potatoes, along with 4 teaspoons of curry powder, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 0.5 teaspoon of spanish paprika, and 0.5 a teaspoon of garlic powder. we also threw in a dash of salt and fresh black pepper (to taste).
after we let this saute for a minute or two, we covered the vegetables with 8 cups of chicken stock. of course, veg/vegans can use vegetable stock, and it will still taste delicious. we brought the soup to a boil and reduced the heat to low. then, we covered the pot with its lid and let the soup simmer for 25 minutes.
after 25 minutes passed, we tasted the soup and added more salt or pepper to our taste before stirring in 0.5 cup of half and half. we pureed the soup using an immersion blender, but a regular blender or food processor will work beautifully. honestly, anyone who loves soup as much as i do should really invest in a good immersion blender. it sucks rocks to ladle spoonful after spoonful into a cuisinart/blender, all while making a mess of your countertops and burning your hands in the same godforsaken moment. i found a good immersion blender on amazon for under 30 bucks. do yourself a favor. trust me, you won’t regret it.
once the soup is pureed until smooth, spoon some into a bowl and garnish with dried or fresh mint, along with the bacon. my cute husband put dots of half and half in our bowls and used a toothpick to make hearts . . . *cue the groans and the distant sounds of retching. hey, i knew i picked a winner. my momma didn’t raise no fool.
bon appetit!
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