Turmeric

It is easy to imagine an ape-like ancestor of modern humans scratching the forest floor with a pointed stick, and unearthing a rhizome (fleshy underground stem) of Curcumin aromatica, wild turmeric. Brushing off the soil with a hairy hand, our tiny-brained forebear scratched his supraorbital torus, and at the risk of becoming an evolutionary dead end, took a nibble: “Hmmmm . . .” our intrepid troglodyte may have mused, “this taste like curry powder.”

Curcumin longa, wild turmeric’s domestic descendent, has been cultivated in southern Asia since agriculture’s earliest beginnings. It is responsible for much of the characteristic taste and beautiful yellow-orange color of commercial curry powder, of which it is the most prominent ingredient.  

Turmeric’s usefulness as a textile dye may have been discovered when a cave man got some on the very first white shirt, and not even his dry cleaner could get it out. (The necktie, of course, would have to wait until much later, and the invention of the neck.)

Through eons of observation, primitive man discovered that in addition to being a highly valued seasoning and dye, turmeric was powerful medicine. Curcumin, the compound that gives turmeric its characteristic color, taste and smell, is showing promise in scientific trials as a treatment for a wide range of illnesses, including Alzheimer’s and pancreatic cancer. It is an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibiotic and even an ant repellant!

The absorption of curcumin is enhanced by 2000% when taken along with peperine, a constituent of black pepper. What more delicious way, then, to benefit from these synergistic nutraceuticals than in Chef Henry’s Cauliflower Bisque with Turmeric?

Cauliflower Bisque with Turmeric

What makes a bisque a bisque, and not a cream or a velouté? Bisques are soups based on purées of one thing or another–usually the flesh of shrimp or lobster, and in former times, pigeons–thickened with rice instead of roux (equal quantities of flour and fat, usually butter, cooked together into a paste, then used to thicken soups and sauces). Rice makes the most neutral thickener, with the added benefit of needing no fat in the process.

Cauliflower, which is available year ‘round but is at its best in autumn and winter, packs the same nutritional punch as its cruciferous cousins, broccoli and cabbage. Look for heads that are heavy for their size, with a minimum of surface discoloration on the florets, which in aggregate are called the curd.

Ingredients

1 whole, large cauliflower

¼-cup olive or vegetable oil

1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2 carrots, the first coarsely chopped, the second cut in 1/8” cubes, boiled and set

   aside  

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons turmeric

1 teaspoon black pepper

½-cup raw rice

12 cups purified water

salt to taste

2 ounces cognac, Armagnac, calvados, or other brandy (optional)

¼-cup dry madiera, marsala, or sherry (optional)

½-cup cream, buttermilk, or unflavored yogurt (optional)

Method

Trim any tough or blemished leaves from the cauliflower, and trim away the hardened end of the stump. With a knife or swivel vegetable peeler, trim away any black or brown discoloration on the curd. Cut into quarters or eighths, depending on size, and soak in a sink or in a large bowl of warm water to which you have added a generous handful of salt. (This will drive any insect stowaways out of hiding.)

While your cauliflower soaks, warm the oil in a 5- or 6-quart soup kettle. Add the coarsely chopped onion, garlic, carrot and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and just beginning to brown. Off the flame, add the turmeric and pepper. Stir until combined, and replace over a low flame. (If using the optional brandy, add it now.)

Add the cauliflower, water, and rice. Bring to a boil over a high flame, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer over medium heat until the rice and cauliflower are very soft. If using the optional cream, buttermilk or yogurt, add them now.

Off the heat, remove the bay leaf, and using a stick blender, create a smooth soup. For the smoothest effect, wait for the soup to cool, then purée in batches using a processor or blender.

Serving Suggestions

Reheat the soup to serving temperature before adding the reserved carrot cubes, and optional madeira, marsala or sherry. Taste, adding salt if desired. I like to serve this with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream in each bowl, and a few slices of sliced pickled jalapeños, passing the rest at table.

Notes

Spices are to the cook as colors are to the painter. Beginning cooks and painters, not yet in command of their full palette, tend in their exuberance to mix too many things together at once, resulting in mud. The best way start is by limiting your palette, adding and combining as you gain the confidence that comes with experience.    

For those who are watching their fat intake, this soup is a godsend. If a further reduction of fat is desired, the oil can be reduced or even eliminated, in which case you would start the onion, garlic, carrot and bay leaf  in the water with the cauliflower and rice. If you prefer a thicker soup, start with more rice, or add cooked rice before the final blending until you achieve the thickness desired. If you are following a low glycemic diet for diabetes or weight control, use basmati rice, white or brown.

©2009 Chef Henry M. Summers