Menu de Harry Potter: Soupe de Choux-fleur Violet et Salade Tiède de Boeuf avec Cresson et Tomates Vertes

I finally finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Can you tell? I spotted a magical purple cauliflower in the market yesterday and I just had to have it. I got it home, stared at it for awhile, and then decided to flick my wand and turn it into soup. Not my wand exactly – who needs holly and phoenix feathers when you have a 24cm Global knife?

Fascinated by the purple color, I did a little research and discovered that it is not dyed or hoaxed or under any sort of spell. The color is caused by presence of the antioxidant anthocyanin, which can also be found in red cabbage and red wine. There were orange cauliflowers at the market too. I discovered these have 25 times the level of Vitamin A compared to the white varieties. Who knew cauliflower could be so vibrant and vitamin rich? Not me.

Salads sound good to me in hot weather and so does no-fuss preparation, hence the warm beef salad with spicy watercress and witchy heirloom green tomatoes (green zebras). They kind of look like dragon eyes before you slice them up and I love the tart tomato juiciness paired with the salty-sweet beef. It's an interesting and refreshing combination. The watercress just adds a little kick for extra oomph.

The light dinner turned out tasty. The other witches and wizards at the table agreed. I still haven't figured out a proper aperitif. I wanted to make pumpkin juice but I didn't find any in the patch. Butterbeer sounds more appealing – anything with butter in the name sounds good to me.

I know my French friends are eagerly awaiting the le version française. It is amazing to me, but not surprising, how J.K. Rowling has captured the hearts of adults and children throughout the world with her stories.

Felicitations to Madame Rowling for inspiring us world wide!

For recipes click on "continue reading Menu de Harry potter..."

Technorati Tags: beef, cauliflower, green tomatoes, green zebras, Harry Potter, menu, rabbit

Soupe De Choux-fleur Violet
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 purple cauliflower, broken into small branches
1 small yellow onion diced
3 12 fl oz cans unsalted chicken stock
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
garnish ideas: croutons, crème fraiche, chives, parsley...

Instructions
1. In a stock pot heat olive oil and add diced onion. cook for 3-4 minutes or until translucent but not browned.
2. Add cauliflower branches and toss in onions. Cover with two cans of chicken stock and simmer until cauliflower is tender when pierced with a knife but not mushy.
3. In a blender or cuisinart remove cooked cauliflower, onions, and half of broth and purée until smooth. Add more of the broth until the soup is the right consistency – thinner than mashed potatoes but not too watery. If necessary add more chicken stock until desired consistency is reached.
4. Put puréed cauliflower back into stockpot and keep warm until ready serve. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Garnish creatively!

Salade Tiède de Boeuf avec Cresson et Tomates Vertes
serves 4

Ingredients
1.5 lbs. top round steak cut into 1-inch cubes
3 green zebra heirloom tomatoes, sliced
1 bunch baby watercress
1 shallot minced
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 can unsalted beef stock
olive oil or vegetable oil for cooking

Instructions
1. Marinade cubed steak with shallot, soy sauce, sugar, red wine vinegar, and vegetable oil for 15-30 minutes (not too long). Toss occasionally. Drain beef thoroughly from before cooking and reserve marinade. Make sure that beef is not too wet or it will stop the searing process. You will have boiled beef instead of seared beef - yuck! Top round is not particularly tasty when cooked all the way through. It is much better flash fried.
2. Heat a skillet on high and add 1 Tablespoon oil. when it is hot (not warm – hot!) add beef. Cook tossing often until it is nicely browned on the outside but rare to medium-rare on the inside. About four minutes if you're cooking with a hot skillet. Remove beef and set aside in a warm place.
3. Place skillet back on the stove on medium heat and add two tablespoons of reserved marinade plus 5-6 Tablespoons of beef stock. Let reduce by 1/3rd. Taste. If it's too salty add a little more stock if it's just right then add beef back to sauce, toss and serve it up on a bed of watercress garnished with green tomatoes!

Comments

[Chef]

Quel super menu pour Harry potter! Dis mou ou vas tu chercher toutes ces idées ? Tu devrais faire un livre de recettes de cuisines, je suis sur que tu en vendrais des millieurs. J'ai vraiment hâte de pouvoir le lire en Français.
Bon courage et à bientôt

[Ms. glaze]

Merci Chef, c'est genti. Mais c'est dommage il n'y a pas de choux-fleur comme ça a Paris. Je pense les Americaines sont vraiment le meillure (je plaisante). Ah, la vie est bonne en Californie!

[Tonya R]

Ms Glaze, the menu looks wonderful and I love that purple soup. Where are you finding these great vegetables? I'd love to know more about the markets.

[Chef]

I'm sorry Ms.Glaze but we have that in France, not every where but we have. (ha ben oui)

[joanne]

Oh, I love purple cauliflower! I ate a lot of this last year as it was the first time I saw it at the Oakland Farmers Market, or Chinatown shops. I made an effort to color foods, or buy non typical veggies in a bid to open my son's culinary eye. Harry Potter was awesome. I finished The Deathly Hallows in about 10 hrs. I couldn't put it down.

[Ms. glaze]

Tonya – I'm not sure if you are writing from Paris or the US right now, but I'm in San Francisco for a few weeks. I found the cauliflower at Whole Foods market and the heirloom tomatoes too. However, the SF Ferry building on the weekends has lots of interesting finds.

Chef – Maybe you're right. (maybe) I'm not going to fight you on it because I know this particular choux-fleur originated in Italy. So maybe it's possible. I want proof.

Joanne – the book was awesome! I dedicated a whole day in bed to the book. Couldn't put it down. Have you seen the orange or the green cauliflowers? They're really interesting too. I love the Oakland farmer's market – when i was in college I used to go all the time.

[Mom]

Hi Amy,
We loved the purple soup! It was fun. The flavors blended nicely and since we've all just finished reading Harry Potter, it did feel like something they might have cooked up at Hogwarts - but tasted much better. Thanks for introducing us to new looks and tastes in foods...
Your Mom

[maureen]

The soup sounds yummy!! Would it work with vegetable broth for us "other eaters"? Oh - and Hi to your mom, miss you!!
maureen

[Ms Glaze]

Hi Maureen – no ploblemmo substituting vegetable broth!!! Just make sure it doesn't have salt added. Sometimes canned stocks do and when they reduce it makes the soup way too salty.

[MATTHEW ROSE]

Can I borrow your copy?

[Tonya R]

Ah, didn't realize you were in the states finding these remarkable veggies. I'm in Paris (still waiting for Harry Potter to arrive in the mail). Haven't seen any purple cauliflower here yet.

[Erin]

This is amazing! Really lovely. When I was little and obsessed with all things purple I would have fallen in love with this soup. I honestly can't wait to try it. Thank you for being so imaginative.

[minty]

hi! just discovered your blog- and finished Harry Potter ; when the last tome ot published, I held a Harry Potter party at home in Paris, which featured pumpkin soup and many different colours cauliflower ; yes, in Paris, you can find purple, orange and white cauliflower at the Marché de l'Alma ....
great minds think alike lol...

[giuseppe]

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King Regards,

Giuseppe

[A. Liberrian]

There is a great pumpkin juice recipe at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15536354