CONCORD, N.H. — Culinary inspiration can come from the most unlikely sources.
Sometimes it's a movie (how many of you tried to replicate the hot cocoa from "Chocolat"?), sometimes it's a book (fried green tomatoes anyone?), sometimes it's a person (I'll make anything Nigella Lawson tells me to).
Sometimes it's the hospital cafeteria.
Such was the case for the Florida woman who recently e-mailed me asking for help figuring out what made the Swiss cauliflower chowder she had at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Fla., so unforgettably good.
"It was the greatest I've ever had," she wrote. "Piping hot it is wonderful in the heat of summer and, of course, winter months. I eat soup all year long, almost everyday."
Greatest ever? Sounded suspicious to me. Hospital food may well be unforgettable, but rarely for the right reasons.
But she piqued my curiosity, so I tracked down Paula Gross, director of dietary services at the hospital. She was happy, and a bit flattered, to share the recipe.
There was a catch, of course. It would take a few days before I could have it. The only version she had feeds 500.
When the recipe eventually arrived (now feeding a more reasonable six), its somewhat counterintuitive format still took a bit of deciphering. Who wants to do on-the-fly math to sort out what 1/8 of a 5-pound block of Swiss cheese is?
Besides making the measurements a little more kitchen-friendly, I also made a few minor tweaks to the recipe. For taste I swapped butter for the margarine, and for vegetarian sensibilities replaced the chicken stock with vegetable broth.
Gross' recipe also called for American Swiss cheese, but I prefer imported for its more distinct flavor. And salt! Maybe it was left out for health reasons (um, what about the cream, butter AND cheese?), but it definitely needs it.
And even though the kitchen folks at the hospital assured me the recipe was correct, I had to double the amount of water used to dissolve the cornstarch. As written, it made potting clay. With the tweaks made, the only remaining question was taste. Was it worth all the trouble? The reader was right, the soup was darn good and she deserves thanks for finding a winner and sharing it with the world.
This is a hearty soup, great on its own with some bread or oyster crackers. If you like your chowders a little thinner, ease off the cornstarch.
To make a healthier version, leave out the butter, replace the cream with whole or reduced-fat milk, and substitute a reduced-fat Swiss cheese (usually available at the deli counter).
CREAMY CAULIFLOWER CHOWDER WITH SWISS CHEESE
Preparation 45 minutes
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 large onion, diced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 1/2 large carrots, sliced into matchsticks
2 3/4 cups water, plus 1/2 cup
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1 1/4 cups light cream or half-and-half
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
10 ounces Swiss cheese, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup (4 ounces) cornstarch
1 pound cauliflower florets
Melt the butter over a medium-high flame in a large stockpot. Add the onion, celery and carrots and saute until the vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 2 3/4 cups water, vegetable broth and cream. Heat to a simmer, but do not boil.
Add the pepper, curry powder and cheese and heat, stirring frequently, until the cheese melts.
Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining water. Add to the soup and increase heat to medium. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, or until thickened.
Add the cauliflower and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender. Makes 6 servings.