~Sunday, May 19, 2013
Quick! What’s white in color, has no fat, and can
turn a mac and cheese dish into a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and
potassium? Normally, anything white
makes the diet-conscious eater think, “Not
me. No thank you!” However, this pale pal is a low-carb-lover’s
dream! Give up yet? (I know… I threw you a curve ball with the
mac and cheese dish, didn’t I?) Okay,
one more hint: It’s a cruciferous vegetable; for examples, broccoli and
kale. Yup—you guessed it!—cauliflower.
I better begin
by explaining my mac and cheese statement.
One of my
favorite food journalists and cookbook authors is Mark Bittman. Why is he a personal favorite?: He eats the way I eat!—lots of fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains; an occasional dinner including lean meat; and
very small amounts of processed foods.
(Many people were surprised to find page after page of healthy
ingredients in my Italian cookbook, You
Never Grow Old at the Dinner Table; however, my book reflects the true
Italian culture of healthy eating—and
living!) I first discovered Mark
Bittman and his delicious recipes in his column in Runner’s World magazine, and yes, this is where the ‘mac and cheese’
comes into play. Bittman’s version of
this all-time American comfort dish achieves its creamy texture by using
well-cooked cauliflower. The recipe is
great!—and opens up a totally new approach in the culinary world of “creamy.”
Therefore, a
couple weeks ago, when my mom told me she created and jotted down a new recipe
for me—a creamy cauliflower soup!—I thought, “Bring it on!” (as if I
didn’t already have a million reasons to love my mom).
Cauliflower and
Potato Soup
Ingredients
(Serves 4 to 6) as the main dish
4 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
2 celery stalks,
finely chopped
1 carrot, finely
chopped
1 medium onion,
finely chopped
1 small
cauliflower head, cut into florets and sliced
5 medium russet
potatoes, diced into ¾-inch cubes
6 cups water
2 chicken
bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly
ground pepper
¼ cup fresh
Italian parsley, finely chopped
Freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
In
a large pot, heat the olive oil over a medium flame, and sauté celery, carrots,
and onion for 10 minutes; then add cauliflower and potatoes to sauté 5
additional minutes, mixing occasionally.
Add the water, bring to a boil and add the bouillon cubes, salt, and
pepper. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for approximately an hour and 15 minutes.
Remove
from heat and stir in parsley; adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and
a drizzle of olive oil.
This soup can be
served chunky, but my mom achieves a creamy consistency by using a wooden
spatula to mash the cauliflower and potatoes against the sides of the pot the
last 5 minutes of cooking time.
