Take my advice: Don't wear white while eating this soup.
The same turmeric that gives this soup its lovely golden yellow color will stain everything it touches.
And I'm speaking from experience here.
My favorite wooden spoon? Yellow.
The tea towel I thoughtlessly grabbed to wipe up a spill? Stained with streaks of yellow.
The plastic housing of my blender blade? Alien-grayish yellow.
But it's so good I don't mind.
Until recently turmeric has been a behind-the-scenes player -- beyond a squiggle of mustard on a hot dog or as a key ingredient in Indian curries. But this rhizome in the ginger family has been getting more attention lately, for its possible health benefits.
Turmeric contains curcumin, which according to some, is beneficial for treating or preventing a number of maladies including arthritis, high cholesterol, diabetes, certain cancers and even Alzheimer's. However, there are no large scale double-blind, placebo-controlled studies that back up these claims.
Another thing to keep in mind, the amounts used in cooking are a mere fraction of those used in clinical studies.
In these short days between feasts and holiday sweets, I say enjoy turmeric for its sunny color and earthy, ginger-peppery flavor. If it turns out it is a super-spice, that'll just be a bonus.
The velvety smooth soup is a fragrant combination of cauliflower, cashews, onion, ginger, garlic and, of course turmeric. A finishing drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice gives it more depth of flavor.
Golden Cauliflower Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ to ½ teaspoon minced ginger
1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
1 cup "raw" cashews
2 to 3 teaspoons ground turmeric
Salt and ground black pepper
6 cups vegetable broth, divided use
1 lemon, juiced
Minced flat-leaf parsley
In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion until it begins to turn translucent; stir in garlic, ginger, cauliflower florets, cashews, turmeric, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes or until cauliflower is beginning to brown. Add 4 cups of the broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.
Working in batches, puree soup in a blender, until smooth. If ultra-smooth soup is desired, pass soup through a sieve before returning it to the pot. Thin as desired with the remaining broth. Season with additional salt and pepper. Cook just until heated through.
Drizzle each serving with olive oil and lemon juice and sprinkle with parsley.
Makes about 6 servings.
Recipe adapted from Pinchofyum.com
Food on 11/29/2017