Cauliflower Pea Soup

• Peel, wash, chop, slice, and prepare the following vegetables: medium cauliflower, 3 medium carrots, 2 celery sticks, 1 medium onion, 2 medium potatoes.
• Prepare the mirepoix in a large pot: heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon butter, add the chopped onion and celery and saute for 5 minutes. Add chopped carrots.

  Season with salt and pepper and saute on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables release their juices and are tender.

  Dust the mirepoix with 3 tablespoons of flour, stir well, and cook for 2 minutes to remove the flour taste, stirring.

  Remove the pot from the direct heat and add 1 teaspoon of red paprika; stir well.

  Add cauliflower florets and potatoes. Stir in 4 cups of warm chicken stock and add 3 cups of water as needed. Stir well.
• Bring to simmer and cook until vegetables are almost cooked through.
• Add 2 cups of green peas, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or so.
• Stir in 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg. Serve. Season to taste.
• Can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Proscuitto Dumplings

• While the soup simmers, prepare the dumpling batter.

  Into a bowl, add 1/2 cup of coarse semolina, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 4 slices of chopped ham like prosciutto, a pinch of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of baking powder, and 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Form a thick batter. Use a wooden spoon or a handheld mixer. Cover and let the batter rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.
• Fill a medium-sized pot with water, add some salt, bring to a boil, and reduce to a low simmer.

  Drop the dumpling batter into barely simmering water by teaspoons (or larger if you want). Use 2 spoons to shape the dumplings. Cook dumplings for 5 minutes. They will float on the top once cooked.

  With a small strainer, lift the dumplings from the water and serve them with the soup or reserve them for later.