Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Roasted Potatoes
Cauliflower season is coming to an end, so I decided to celebrate this versatile vegetable with a delicious soup! I love to make all types of soups because they are so flavorful and easy to play with, depending on what you have laying around your fridge and pantry. My husband, however, is partial to cream-based soups, especially if they include potatoes in some way, shape, or form. I like soups with lots of texture, so I thought of a way that I could satisfy both of our soup preferences. The nice thing about cauliflower is that it contains a ton of vitamin C (91.5% of your daily needs in just 1 cup), fiber, and as with broccoli and other leafy vegetables, it contains a high percentage of sulforaphane, which may help to prevent certain types of cancer, as well as other organic compounds that can help the liver to rid itself of toxic substances. Who knew that such a simple looking vegetable could be so beneficial? April is supposed to be the best month for cauliflower, so go to your local grocery store or farmer's market to pick some up! Cauliflower is also delicious roasted or steamed with some garlic and a bit of butter or olive oil.
Anyway, on to the actual soup: it was fantastic. It was hearty and silky, as well as intensely flavorful, thanks to the garlic and onions. Everything added to the soup was meant to compliment the cauliflower and I think it turned out beautifully. I diced some potatoes and roasted them in the oven with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper and added them to the soup just as it was finished. The added texture really made this soup stand out, and it also won over my husband. To the average diner, it would be a surprise to find out that this soup was made with cauliflower and not entirely potatoes! The texture is extremely similar, as is the taste, and your belly will be full and happy after a bowlful. This is a great alternative to a cheesy potato soup, and there isn't even any cheese in it! The color is from the vegetable stock that I used in the recipe. If you're looking to cut back on meat but are worried about being able to fill up on veggies, this a great meal to start with. Find the recipe in this post or on my site at The Crepes of Wrath.
The ingredients.
Start by peeling and dicing your potatoes into tiny, evenly sized bits (about 3/4 inch squares). Brush with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Roast in the oven at 400 degree F for 15-20 minutes, until tender and lightly golden. Set aside, it doesn't matter if they cool, as you'll heat them up again when they are added to the soup.
In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the sliced onions for 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for another minute or so, until fragrant. Add in the flour and stir to combine.
Add in the vegetable stock, stir, and bring to a light boil.
Wash and chop your cauliflower, then pat to remove any excess water.
Add the cauliflower to the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or so, until the cauliflower is tender, stirring every so often.
Puree your soup in batches in a food processor or blender. Again, in batches, push the pureed soup through a mesh strainer into the same pot (or a new pot). Discard whatever is left over in the strainer.
Place the soup over medium-low heat and stir. Add in half of the heavy cream and stir again.
Place an egg in a small bowl and add in the rest of the heavy cream.
Add in a big spoonful or two of the warmed soup and whisk with the egg and cream until combined. This will temper the egg so it doesn't scramble when you add it to the soup.
Add in the tempered egg and cream mixture, then add in the majority of your roasted potatoes, saving a few for a garnish.
Melt the remaining butter in a small sauce pan, and cook over medium heat until browned (it will have a nutty smell and be lightly golden). Stir often so it doesn't burn.
Sprinkle the remaining potatoes over the soup and drizzle a bit of browned butter over that. Serve and enjoy!
Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Roasted Potatoes
For the potatoes:
4-5 potatoes, peeled and diced into 3/4 inch bite-sized squares
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the soup:
1 head cauliflower, cleaned and chopped roughly
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable broth or stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
1 egg yolk
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and dice your potatoes, then brush with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with the combined salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until tender and lightly golden. Set aside to use in the soup (don't worry if they cool a bit, as they'll be warmed up again when added to the soup).
2. Wash the cauliflower and remove the leaves and stem, then roughly chop. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, then Add the sliced onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and saute for another minute. Add in the two tablespoons of flour and stir together. Whisk in the vegetable broth and bring to a light boil.
2. Add in the chopped cauliflower and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or so, until the cauliflower is fork-tender. In batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Strain through a mesh sieve and return to the pot.
3. Return the heat to medium-low and stir the soup. Add in the 1/4 cup of heavy cream and stir again. Add more broth if it's too thick (I didn't need to add more). In a small bowl, place the egg yolk and the 1/4 cup milk. Whisk together, then add in one or two big spoonfuls of the soup, then whisk again. This will temper the egg so it doesn't scramble when added to the pot. Add to the soup and stir to combine.
4. Add the potatoes (reserving a small amount for garnish) to the soup, taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then ladle into three or four bowls, depending on how hungry you are. Sprinkle with the remaining potatoes, and enjoy! Serves 3-4.
from The Crepes of Wrath