Curried Cauliflower Soup

I've just introduced powertools in the kitchen. Today, I bought an immersion hand blender. How did I ever make soups without it? By making a mess in my kitchen, that's how. This thing is awesome! I was able to puree my curried cauliflower soup in about 3 minutes. I've used a blender to puree soup in the past, but have also given myself a nasty burn. The hand blender is easy to use, fast to puree, and a cinch to clean. I'm sold!
My other great find this weekend was the Williams-Sonoma Sous Chef Series. Every month, you get to recreate a recipe demonstrated by a sous chef from a well known American restaurant. This month was a recipe for curried cauliflower soup from Gramercy Tavern in New York City. I used several techniques to make it, including toasting whole spices, making a bouquet garni, and pureeing with the immersion blender. The end result was amazing. My favorite part of the soup was the yogurt garnish. Mixing yogurt with lime juice is so simple, but so delicious. Thank you, Jamie, for the website!

Curried Cauliflower Soup, courtesy of Sous Chef Series from Williams-Sonoma

• 2 heads cauliflower, cut into florets (about 10 cups)
• 1 onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• ½ leek, white and light green parts only, diced (about ¾ cup)
• 2 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
• ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ bunch cilantro, chopped (about 2 cups)
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon mild curry powder
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• ¾ cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Reserve 1 cup of small cauliflower florets, ¼ cup of onion, ¼ cup of leeks and ¼ cup of carrots for garnish.
2. In a large pot, warm ¼ cup of the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the remaining onion, leek and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have begun to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook until soft, about 10 minutes longer.
3. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, combine the coriander and cumin seeds and toast until they are fragrant and slightly browned, about 2 minutes. In a square of cheesecloth, combine the toasted seeds and the cilantro and tie into a bundle, securing it with a piece of kitchen twine. This is called a bouquet garni. Add it, along with the turmeric, curry powder and garlic to the vegetables in the pot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add the vegetable stock, bring a simmer and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni and discard, then puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the puree to the pot and keep warm.
5. In a large skillet, warm the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the reserved cauliflower, onion, leek and carrots and cook until the vegetables are just tender and lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and reserve.
6. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil and lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Divide the hot soup among 6 deep bowls, garnish with the reserved vegetables and drizzle with the yogurt mixture. Serve immediately.