Curried Potato-Cauliflower Soup with Spinach

I’ve been making tons of soup this winter, though somehow I keep neglecting to post recipes. I think I’m going to reinstate Monday soup night and try to post a soup recipe each week. I’ve become partial to thick blended soups and this one does not disappoint. It is thick but also incredibly creamy. The spices form a wonderful combination of 3 different layers of flavor. This version is based on the one from the Candle Cafe Cookbook with which, if you haven’t realized yet, I am in love. [You will need an immersion blender for this recipe.]

Curried Potato-Cauliflower Soup with Spinach

olive oil for sautéing (around 1/8 of a cup)
1 large onion
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 garlic cloves
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 medium potatoes (I used Idaho, but any white potato is fine), peeled and chopped
2 cups cauliflower florets
3 cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
1 bunch spinach stemmed and chopped (about 1/4 cup frozen or 1 1/2 cups fresh — you can add a bit more if you want a more spinach-y flavor)
salt to taste

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, curry powder, coriander, tumeric, cumin, and cayenee and sauté for about 5 minutes. The combination will create a delicious smell.

Add the garlic and celery and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the potatoes and cauliflower and stir to coat with spices.

Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Let simmer for around 45 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Stir in the spinach — I actually put in a bit too much spinach the first time and added a bit more cauliflower and potatoes to counteract the heavy taste, so I’d err on the side of less spinach.

Remove from fire and let cool for a few minutes. Insert your immersion blender and blend till smooth.

I finished it off with a bit of eggplant I had roasted earlier and a few pinches of curry. Next time I think I’ll save a few pieces of sautéed cauliflower and top it with that.