“All You Need Is Love” – Zoodles, Part 2. Soudles.

Fibonacci was never married. We don’t know for sure, and maybe he was, but I choose to believe the story of a perfect spiral.

“Bellissima Donna, ” he pleaded,  – ” I love you and ask for your hand in marriage!”

“But what is it you are holding, Signore? What did you bring me? It looks like a head of cheese!! Do you think we don’t have cheese in the house?!”

“Carissima, I brought you the most precious thing in nature, a perfect spiral!”

“Signor Leonardo, I should think that a suitor would usually bring fiori – flowers!”

“Cara mia, it is a flower – cavolfiore, a cauliflower which is a perfect spiral.”

“Signor Leonardo Fibonacci, you might be a math genius, but all I need is love and some real flowers that show it, and I don’t want your perfect vegetables and your silly spirals!”

“Oh bellissima, but what can I do when every flower is a spiral…”

Poor rejected Leonardo Fibonacci! He was a math genius, and he was, of course, correct: every flower is a spiral, but it did not win him the heart of a beautiful signorina. However, every spiral, from a rose, the symbol of passion, to a humble cauliflower, to the famous Tower of Pisa, built in front of his eyes as he was growing up, starts at the center. When you spiralize vegetables, you start at the center as well, and when you finish, you are left with a slender cylinder capped with a backside of your vegetable.

You can enjoy them crudo (raw) with a dip of your choice, but I resisted the temptation and, to continue my Zoodles series (for Part 1, click here), made a creamy soup – Soudles. I have collected centers of several small zucchini (you can use 1 medium zucchini instead). Armed with that, I started by slicing half of a small onion and a few cloves of garlic.

You need to saute all three together in about a tablespoon of olive oil for about ten minutes, stirring frequently, until onion becomes translucent, and zucchini softens. I would start with onion and garlic slices, let them get better acquainted, and add zucchini after a few minutes. Make sure your garlic doesn’t brown as you want to achieve the beautiful green color at the end. Transfer all this into a soup pot, cover with cold water, and leave it to cool off.

Once it cools off, pulse it in a food processor or blender, together with about 1/3 inch (1 cm) of grated ginger, the same amount of grated white turmeric, and some fresh parsley stems, until creamy and fully blended. Pour it back into the pot and bring to boil.

Add some soup powder, non-dairy cream, a pinch of cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste, mix gently, bring to boil again – ecco! You are done!

I think the prospective Signora Fibonacci missed out on many great benefits of spirals, but we enjoyed a delicious soup made with love!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 small or 1 medium zucchini, unpeeled and sliced, or centers left after spiralizing 6 – 7 small zucchini
• 1/2 small onion, sliced
• 5 – 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/3 inch (1 cm) grated ginger
• 1/3 inch (1 cm) grated white turmeric
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley stems, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon pareve soup powder
• 1/3 cup non-dairy cream
• A pinch of cinnamon
• Salt and pepper to taste

PROCEDURE

• Saute onion, garlic, and zucchini in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until onion is translucent, zucchini and garlic are soft. Stir frequently.
• Remove, transfer to 1 quart pot, cover with cold water. Let cool.
• Place into food processor or blender, add ginger, turmeric, parsley stems. Pulse until creamy and well blended.
• Transfer to pot, bring to boil, add soup powder, cream, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Stir, bring to boil, remove from heat and serve.

Enjoy!