Souper Tuesday: Mildly spicy cauliflower soup

Daily Maverick

20-05-2025

This comforting soup is built on a base of onion, celery and carrot and is finished with a touch of cream. The spicing is gentle but clearly evident. And it starts with roasting the cauliflower.
It starts when you buy a head of cauliflower, planning to make cauliflower purée to serve slices of that sirloin on for supper. Then you stop and think… Does cauliflower purée really go all that well with steak?
Well, it could, and I've had fillet atop a cauliflower or celeriac purée at fancy restaurants. But. Hmmm.
So you move on, and the sirloin (which is a big slab of sirloin roast) is served with green patty pans instead. Patty pans? Why!? I never cook nor eat patty pans, it is my least favourite vegetable. But I've decided to try to like them, so you may find them again here, soon. Maybe.
Anyway, the cauliflower stayed in the fridge till Sunday, when The Foodie's Wife said, 'Don't forget you need a soup recipe for Tuesday.' 😮
Sunday evening, as of a week earlier, had been designated Soup Night, but a week later it seemed to have escaped my mind. On such occasions, I have a look around to see what's in the house.
That cauliflower glared at me. You'll do, I said. It yawned and looked away. There were carrots, celery, and red onions. There was crisp, plump garlic. I had some cream left over from the Peppermint Crisp muffins that had flopped on Sunday morning. 🙈
I also wanted colour in this soup, so my mind went to turmeric. But turmeric is so very dominant in a dish so I wanted it to be mild, and to be tamed by other spices. All of which — turmeric, cumin, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and mustard powder — would work in harmony to create a subtle spiciness that was neither obviously turmeric, cumin, nutmeg, red pepper or mustard. Just vaguely spicy. And it worked in the end.
Note that the half-teaspoon each of various spices that go into the baste for the cauliflower are also the spices that flavour the soup. Add more if you want something spicier.
Tony's mildly spiced roasted cauliflower soup
(Makes 3 to 4 portions, or 2 with seconds)
Ingredients
For the cauliflower:
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground grated nutmeg
½ tsp ground mustard powder
1 tsp salt to taste
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 large head of cauliflower
For the soup:
The roasted cauliflower
3 Tbsp butter
1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced
1 large carrot, or 2 medium, diced
3 celery stalks, diced, including leaves
2 fat garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 litre vegetable stock (I used 2 Ina Paarman vegetable stock sachets dissolved in 1 litre of water, because I wanted the stock to be mild)
100ml cream
Salt and black pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper and grated nutmeg for garnish
Method
Add the olive oil and spices to a bowl, then the salt and black pepper, and stir.
Trim the cauliflower of its leaves and stems.
Place the florets in the bowl and roll them around in the spiced oil, ensuring that they are thoroughly coated. Retain the remaining oil for garnishing the soup later. (Add a bit more oil if it's all been used up.)
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C.
Place the coated florets in the basket and roast for 20 minutes at 200°C. Turn half way.
Melt the butter in a heavy pot and add the onion. Sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes, and add the garlic, celery, and carrot. Continue to simmer, stirring, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the vegetable stock and the roasted cauliflower florets, stir, and bring to a boil. Season with salt. Reduce to a very low simmer, put the lid on, and cook gently for about 20-25 minutes.
Taste, and adjust salt if more is needed (it was in my case). Also season with black pepper to taste.
Blend the soup until it is fairly fine.
Add the cream, stir well, and return the soup to a simmer for 3 to 4 minutes while the cream amalgamates properly.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Using a teaspoon, create an attractive swirl of the remaining spiced olive oil that you basted the cauliflower with before roasting.
Grate nutmeg on top and sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper. DM
Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the year award, in 2021 and 2023.