There is something to be said for making a recipe three times in two weeks and it is YUM! I found this recipe in a favorite magazine and blissfully cooked myself into a near addiction. This soup delivers a strange, hard-to-peg satisfaction. Is it comfort food, "health" food (what is up with that category?), delightfully veggie or just darn good? I think...all of the above and who knew cauliflower could flower into something so satisfying? Most of us have memories of over-cooked, waterlogged, mushy florets or cauliflower as a less than starring partner in a vegetable "medley". Well, this soup stars only cauliflower, enhanced with a little leek and a few herbs and wow...can it ever stand alone!
The possibilities for playing with this recipe are endless and now you know what I have been up to! You can vary the cheese (think smokey cheeses as an option), add heat with a few chilies, top with all kinds of fresh herbs, caramelized onions, roasted garlic or "croutons" of roasted yams or winter squash, swirl in a few grated beets for a whole new color, use orange or purple cauliflower and on and on. Ha... now you know why I have been so busy!! And, this soup is wonderful with The Queen of Green Salad! Don't skimp on the lemon juice...it is like a splash of sunshine.
Cauliflower Soup
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large leeks, the white and light green parts thinly sliced
4 cups chopped cauliflower florets (I use a whole head)
2 1/2 cups milk, divided
2 cups water
1-2 bay leaves (and any other herbs of choice)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups extra-sharp, dye-free Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Heat oil in a Dutch oven and add leeks. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower and saute for a few moments and then add 2 cups milk, bay leaf, water and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until cauliflower is soft, about 8-10 minutes. Whisk remaining 1/2 cup milk with flour and stir into soup. Cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Add cheese, stir until melted and add lemon juice. Garnish with a few chopped green onions or parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Serves 6-8.
* Note: I leave the soup chunky and do not smooth it out in a blender. I like the more rustic look the little chunks of cauliflower give...and also, there is no blender to wash!
The possibilities for playing with this recipe are endless and now you know what I have been up to! You can vary the cheese (think smokey cheeses as an option), add heat with a few chilies, top with all kinds of fresh herbs, caramelized onions, roasted garlic or "croutons" of roasted yams or winter squash, swirl in a few grated beets for a whole new color, use orange or purple cauliflower and on and on. Ha... now you know why I have been so busy!! And, this soup is wonderful with The Queen of Green Salad! Don't skimp on the lemon juice...it is like a splash of sunshine.
Cauliflower Soup
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large leeks, the white and light green parts thinly sliced
4 cups chopped cauliflower florets (I use a whole head)
2 1/2 cups milk, divided
2 cups water
1-2 bay leaves (and any other herbs of choice)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups extra-sharp, dye-free Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Heat oil in a Dutch oven and add leeks. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower and saute for a few moments and then add 2 cups milk, bay leaf, water and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until cauliflower is soft, about 8-10 minutes. Whisk remaining 1/2 cup milk with flour and stir into soup. Cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Add cheese, stir until melted and add lemon juice. Garnish with a few chopped green onions or parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Serves 6-8.
* Note: I leave the soup chunky and do not smooth it out in a blender. I like the more rustic look the little chunks of cauliflower give...and also, there is no blender to wash!
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