Cooking With Emily: Cauliflower Chowder

Monday is slowly becoming one of my favourite days of the week, if only because, apart from acting as supervisor & sous chef, it's my night off from cooking.  We forgot to choose a recipe Sunday evening, but Monday morning I told Emily I had purchased the necessary ingredients for both Carrot Lentil Soup and Cauliflower Chowder.  My intention had been to make carrot soup for Sunday supper, but since I had a late lunch supper was not a priority.  We had a DIY night, which amounted to Cup of Soup for Emily, with a good sized wedge of cheese, and yogurt for me.  In any case, with little hesitation, although both soups are well liked, she decided she'd make the cauliflower soup.

Once music practice was satisfactorily completed I called her to start preparing the meal.  While she began peeling carrots and onions I chopped up several slices of bacon to fry as a garnish.  She was somewhat horrified that I was using scissors (kitchen shears) and not a knife, but shears actually work better than a knife for this job.  I assured her the scissors would be washed; they are a multi purpose tool-I think some days I spend more time looking for them than I do using them!
Once the bacon was cooking I dug out the stock pot and into melted butter Emily cooked carrots, celery, onions and garlic for a few minutes, before adding a head of coarsely chopped cauliflower.  It was added to the other vegetables, and after a few minutes Emily sprinkled it with flour, followed in short order by chicken stock and milk.  She remembered this time to use a liquid measuring cup, although I was still spattered by her enthusiastic pouring.
Emily set the timer for 15 minutes and was soon checking to see if the soup was done.  I questioned her, realizing she had missed the direction to bring the pot to a boil and then simmer it for 15 minutes, until the cauliflower was done.  We sorted that out, and I removed the bacon to a paper towel to drain now that it was satisfactorily crisp.

Once the soup was done I was shooed out of the kitchen so my mini chef could serve me.  A rare treat, one I duly enjoyed.  The soup was lovely, warm and rich.  Filling as it was it was hard not to go back for a second helping.

Lesson learned though, for a beginner chef, who chops vegetables slowly, it would have been wise to have all the vegetables prepared, as the butter was starting to burn and the carrots were on the way to being charred before the cauliflower made its way into the mix.  The broth was a little darker that it should have been, but the flavour was not at all compromised, I caught it in time and was able to reduce the heat, add a little more butter & stir things well.  And again, she needs to learn to read & re-read her recipes so she knows precisely what needs to happen when.  But we're getting there.

Cauliflower Chowder

4 slices of bacon, diced                 4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter                       1 cup milk
2 cloves garlic, minced                  1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 onion, diced                                1 bay leaf (optional)
2 carrots, diced                              salt & pepper, to taste
2 stalks celery, diced                     2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, optional
1/4 cup flour


Heat a skillet over medium high heat, add bacon and cook until browned and crispy.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, set aside.
Mean while, melt the butter in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery.  Cook, stirring occasionally 3-4 minutes, until tender.  Stir in the cauliflower and bay leaf.  Cook, stirring occasionally, another 3-4 minutes.
Whisk in the flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in the broth and the milk, and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, 12-15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.
If the chowder is too thick add more milk until the desired consistency is reached.
Serve immediately, garnished with bacon and parsley