Cauliflower and Bacon Chowder

Of course I have been making lots of soup! I've made vegetable soup, bisque, tomato soup, and CHOWDER. I love chowders. They are thick, creamy, and luscious. And...did we neglect the fact that it's soup. Enough said.

I decided to try making a couple of winter variations of my corn chowder. Well, as you can tell from the name, this first variation transformed from corn chowder to cauliflower chowder (there's still corn in it). I used vegetables that are readily available in the fall/winter and increased the comfort level by including bacon.

Enjoy!

Cauliflower and Bacon Chowder

by Ace Nation

Keywords: soup/stew cauliflower winter

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

• 3 slices thick-cut pepper bacon, cut into lardons
• Olive oil as needed, about 1-2 tablespoons
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 Serrano chili, seeds removed and minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 red potatoes, diced
• 1/2 head cauliflower, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 15 ounce can corn, rinsed and drained (or about 3/4 cup frozen corn)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cup stock
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Cayenne pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a large high-sided skillet or large sauce pan, cook bacon until browned and crispy. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate, avoiding eating it all while you cook the soup so you have some bacon left to put on your soup.

Depending on the fattiness of the bacon, you may or may not need extra oil. If needed, add enough olive oil to the pan so there is 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan.

Add onion and Serrano to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

Add garlic, celery, carrots, potato, and cauliflower to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Do not leave the stove for this step and have the milk and stock ready to add to the pot. Add the flour, coating the vegetables with flour. The flour will soak up all the moisture and the pan will look dry. Cook for about 1 minute.

Add milk and stock to the pan. Combine with the vegetables and bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with bacon on top.

Enjoy!

Powered by Recipage

Recent Favorite Recipes

Z. and I have been making Pineapple-Coconut Smoothies for a few months now. We love the cold, fruity flavor at the end of the day, waiting for the cool ocean air to make its way to the valley and chill the air. Just keep in mind, the following recipe makes enough for 2 people.

Variation: Add 1/2 cup yogurt to the blender.Yum!

Pineapple-Coconut Smoothie

by Ace Nation

Keywords: blender pineapple coconut milk

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 tray of ice cubes, about 2 cups
• 1 cup pineapple juice, or 1 can Trader Joe's pineapple juice
• 1 cup light coconut milk

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blender.

Process until smooth.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Powered by Recipage

A second recipe Z. and I have enjoyed recently is Marinated Cauliflower Salad with Chickpeas, which was inspired by our Pasta Salad. One of my favorites parts of this salad is the transformation of some of the vegetables, like cauliflower. With a little time marinating, the cauliflower becomes more tender.

Variation: Turn this side dish into a meal by combining 1 cup of salad with some bean thread noodles. Healthy and delicious!

 Enjoy!

Marinated Cauliflower Salad with Chickpeas

by Ace Nation

Keywords: raw gluten-free vegan beans/lentils cauliflower

Ingredients

• 1/2 head cauliflower, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Red pepper flakes, to taste

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Allow to marinate int he refrigerator for at least one hour.

Enjoy!

Powered by Recipage

Dinner for One: Roasted Cauliflower and Garbanzo Beans

Not only is Z. out of town for work, again, leaving me to my own devices, yesterday was my dad's birthday. I couldn't make dinner for my dad since he is in Wyoming, so the next best thing was to make a dinner for myself that he would have liked. When my parents made the trek out to Oregon for my college graduation a few years ago, Z. and I made an Indian feast. Not only was this the first time I had made Indian food for my dad, I think it was the first time my dad ever had curry. He loved it! I knew I wanted to use some of my Indian spices that he enjoyed so much in his/my birthday dinner. While I was pondering what to make for dinner I kept coming back to a few recipes that I had seen in the last few weeks. One recipe was Bon Appetit's Spice-Roasted Chickpeas. Another recipe I had in mind when I was planning my dinner was this recipe from Orangette. I combined these recipes with my own tastes to create Roasted Cauliflower and Garbanzo Beans. Happy birthday, Dad! I love you!!!

A portion of the chickpeas and chopped cauliflower

It was such good looking head of garlic that I thought it deserved its own picture.

Clockwise from top left: garam masala, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, red pepper flakes

Spice covered veggies and beans waiting to be put in the oven

Dinner! I know, I need to figure out how to make food on a plate look pretty.

Roasted Cauliflower and Garbanzo Beans (for 2-3)
1/2 medium head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
garlic to taste, peeled and smashed
2 tsp garam masala *
3/4 tsp (1 tsp for me) cumin seeds *
1/2 tsp coriander seeds, optional
1/4 tsp red pepper flake (1/2 tsp for spicy)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil **

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Toss cauliflower, beans, garlic, and spices with olive oil in a large bowl. Spread in a single layer on a sheet pan. Place in oven. Bake about 12 minutes then stir. Bake another 10 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.Enjoy!

* I love garam masala but my spice blend for this recipe doesn't focus just on the garam masala. If you want a stronger garam masala flavor, I would reduce the amount of cumin. I love cumin seeds so I went heavy on them.
** I tossed the vegetables with two tablespoons of olive oil. When I stirred them, I thought the veggies looked a little thirsty so I drizzled approximately 1/2 tbs over them.