Cauliflower Parmesan Soup
My almost 5 year old asked me to buy cauliflower at the farmer's market this week. I mean, she totally begged me to do it. She has never tried cauliflower (not because I haven't given it to her, believe me), but suddenly she's on a kick to prove she likes everything (she, of course, does not). So I bought it. I figured a good way to try it would be in a smooth soup that also contained cheese, so I consulted Google, and of course chose the recipe from Smitten Kitchen. Because, as we all know, I trust that lady. And then I happened to remember a post of hers from last week about a little grilled cheese technique ('frico') that makes an already wonderful thing even more wonderful, so I couldn't resist throwing these two together for a soul-warming meal on the first true chilly evening this season. It made a nice late night 'welcome home' meal for my husband after a full day of travel as well. I had this meal on the table in 30 minutes. It's worth a try just for that, right?
Cauliflower Parmesan Soup
-adapted slightly from smittenkitchen.com
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, plus about a cup extra to thin
- 3/4-1 c. freshly grated parmesan
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Remove the leaves and thick core from the cauliflower and coarsely chop.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the cauliflower and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and, using a hand-held immersion blender, puree the soup, or puree in small batches in a blender and return it to the pot. Stir in parmesan, and thin with additional broth (or heavy cream, if you dare. I didn't have any, but totally would have used it) until it's the consistency you prefer. A truly great way to enjoy cauliflower. Oh, and my child proclaimed that she loved it. And then ate 3 bites. That's a win for that girl.