Curried Cauli, Spinach and Peanut Soup

As the weather gets colder and the nights get darker, I am making lots of soups. They are so quick to make and so comforting. This recipe evolved from one for Curried Cauliflower Soup in Vegetarian Times. I made it a week or so ago when I hadn’t gone to the supermarket and was inspired by what was left in the fridge.

I also added peanuts as they seem to be flavour of the month – somehow I have ended up with peanut butter, chopped peanuts and whole peanuts in my pantry at the moment. This would not surprise some. I never thought of myself as a peanut butter lover until a primary school friend told me later in life that they always made sure they had peanut butter when I was coming to visit. Peanuts are a plain jane nut in my book - not terribly exciting because they were always on hand when I was a child unlike a lot of the nuts I cook with these days. But they add a comforting richness to this soup.

We ate this soup for dinner with pasties my mum had made which were meltingly delicious. E gave the soup the thumbs up. I was only sorry that our meagre rations meant there were no leftovers for the next night.

Curried Cauliflower, Spinach and Peanut Soup
(Adapted from Vegetarian Times Jan 2009)
Serves 2

1 tsp canola oil
½ onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic flakes
½ cauliflower, chopped
1 apple, peeled and chopped
1 heaped tsp curry powder (I used Keens)
1 pinch cinnamon
2 cups water
1 tsp vegetable stock powder
1 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp finely chopped peanuts
75g baby spinach
Extra chopped peanuts to serve

Fry onion in oil in a large saucepan for 3-5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, cauliflower, apple, curry powder, cinnamon, water, stock powder, peanut butter and peanuts. Bring to the boil and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add spinach. Blend with hand held blender and serve warm with chopped peanuts as a garnish.

On the stereo:
Reprise: 1990-1999 - Vangelis