Although cauliflower is a winter hardy vegetable and is in season for most of the year here, it is summer time I associate with cauliflower soup growing up in Norway.   While cauliflower tastes good all over the world,  international cookbooks talk about the vegetable growing particularly well in  Norway  where has a milder taste, due to the abundance of day light it receives during the summer time.   Cauliflower thrives in Norway where it has been grown since the 17th century, and such has a long history there. In fact, Norwegians think of it as a “Norwegian” vegetable, although its origins are from the Mediterranean.

Cauliflower even comes in purple!

At my house, my mom would harvest cauliflowers from our garden and make the best, creamiest and simplest, but most flavorful soup that we would enjoy for dinner with store bought “loff” (white baguette).   This white “exotic” bread was  considered a treat in my house, since my mom always made hearty homemade bread from whole wheat (typically only had at breakfast).  Cauliflower soup was considered a “light” dinner for my dad, and while he wasn’t always happy (he was such a meat and potato guy) it always brightened my day when I saw this on the table, and remains one of my fondest culinary memories from childhood.  Today, cauliflower soup is a traditional dish at confirmations and other celebratory occasions.

Having gone through culinary school and traveled the world, I sought to spice up my mom’s (mamma) soup a bit to make it a bit more layered and interesting flavor-wise.  Since I no longer use dairy products in my cooking, I chose a thick coconut milk in place of cow’s milk or cream, and I also added curry powder to the mix for a bit of a kick.  Super simple to make, this soup packs a ton of flavor and is easy to make ahead and easily freezable as well.  Try it out and let me know what you think!  Velbekomme!

BLOMKÅLSUPPE MED EN VRI (Cauliflower Soup With a Twist)

1 large head cauliflower, cut into thin florets

1 large sweet/Vidalia onion

2-3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tbsp coconut oil

1-3 tbsp medium hot curry powder (depending on how spicy you prefer it – or you can omit this all together)

6 cups vegetable broth

1 x 15 oz can coconut milk

juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper to taste.

In a large soup pot, heat the coconut oil over medium high heat and add the onion and garlic.  Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.   Add the cauliflower florets and coat with the oil and season again with a bit of salt. Add the curry powder and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add in the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook until cauliflower is soft, about 15-20 minutes.

Spoon the soup mixture in batches into a blender and puree until smooth, alternatively use a stick blender in the pot and puree.

Add the pureed cauliflower soup back into the soup put, add the coconut milk along with the lime juice and heat through.  Season with salt and pepper, garnish with some fresh mint (Or any other fresh herb you prefer) – and serve!