Just the thought of Middle Eastern flavors warms me to the core and on “May Gray” days, I like to have a soothing soup near by that nourishes and fills me up. This brilliant yellow cream soup is so simple to make, and is completely vegan and gluten-free.
To enhance savor and complexity, I elected to stir in a touch of Za’atar oil just before serving. Za’atar is a common spice blend used in the Middle East to season meats, cheeses, salads, breads, soups, vegetables, and fish, and is traditionally a melange of thyme, ground sumac (a tangy red spice from a native shrub), oregano, sesame seeds, and coarse sea salt.
Makes: Approx. 6 servings
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets (about 4 cups)
2 Tb. coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. sea salt
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup coconut water
For the Za’atar Oil
2 Tb. dried thyme
2 Tb. dried oregano
2 Tb. dried marjoram
2 Tb. ground sumac
2 Tb. sesame seeds, toasted
1 tsp. sea salt
2 Tb. olive oil
Preparation:
1. Bring water to a boil in a large soup pot, add cauliflower, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until just tender. Drain water and set cauliflower aside.
2. In the same pot, warm coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté for 4 minutes, or until translucent. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add curry, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, coriander, and sea salt, and stir to combine for 1 minute.
3. Add cooked cauliflower to pot and stir to coat evenly with spice mix and oil. Pour in vegetable stock and warm for 8-10 minutes.
4. Transfer soup to a Vitamix or other high-speed blender, vent lid slightly, and cover with a kitchen towel. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until thoroughly puréed.
5. Return soup to pot, turn heat to medium-low, add coconut water, and simmer for 5-10 minutes more. Season to taste.
6. While soup is simmering, in a small bowl, combine thyme, oregano, marjoram, sumac, sesame seeds and salt and stir to combine. Reserve 2 tablespoons to blend with olive oil and store the rest in a spice container to use with other dishes.
7. Blend olive oil with 2 tablespoons za’atar spice blend and top soup with a drizzle.
Notes for other toppers: You could fry small cauliflower florets in a bit of coconut oil and add those to the soup, or blend cashews with water and sumac for a tangy vegan crema.
