I’m sure I’ve mentioned how much I love soup this time of year. And that I love cauliflower. So, really, you should have been expecting this post.
Soup and good crusty bread can be the perfect meal, but special textural additions like croutons, herbs, or in this case, grilled cauliflower, will always elevate an already wonderful soup. Grilling or roasting cauliflower releases its nutty flavor, providing a soft crunch with every bite.
Leek and Cauliflower Soup
Recipe adapted from Caviar & Codfish
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 medium leeks, sliced into rounds and washed
1 medium sweet onion
olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large head cauliflower, cored and cut into florets
4-6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
salt and pepper
1 T butter
¼ cup heavy cream
In a large saucepan, saute onion, garlic and leeks with a bit of olive oil, until they soften but do not brown. Add cauliflower and enough stock to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook until cauliflower is tender, about 15 minutes. Before pureeing, take out a few florets of cauliflower, set aside.
Puree the soup in batches in the blender. then add soup back to saucepan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in cream. Keep warm over a low heat.
Slice your reserved cauliflower florets thinly, so you get cute little shapes that look like trees. Add butter to a small frying pan. When melted, add cauliflower slices and brown in the butter on both sides, taking care not to burn. Remove from pan to a small plate. Do the same with the leek rounds.
Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the cauliflower trees and leek rounds.
