Creamy Cauliflower Soup

The days get shorter and the temperatures drop. It is time for soup.

Cauliflower is a vegetable that can be prepared in many forms, but is not liked by my children. I myself like cauliflower, but you have to pimp it up a bit.

The tasteless brother of broccoli

Especially when the cauliflower is pre-roasted in the oven, the cauliflower gets a wonderful taste. This is also the case with some Mediterranean dishes, but more about this another time.

Add Potatoes for the creaminess

Adding potatoes makes the soup creamier and gives it a better consistency. This is optional, of course, but I have learned that it is worth adding potatoes.

Ingredients

For 4 persons:

1 large head cauliflower (around 1 kg), cut into bite-size florets

200 g potatoes, floury kinds

1 medium red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

750 ml vegetable broth (or chicken broth)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

salt, pepper

For garnish: 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives and/or green onions

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Throw 2 tablespoons of the olive oil onto the baking tray until the cauliflower is lightly and evenly covered with oil. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake until the cauliflower is soft and caramelized at the edges. This takes about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, peel and chop the potatoes.

When the cauliflower is almost cooked, heat the remaining olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook while stirring occasionally until the onion is soft and becomes transparent. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute, then add the potatoes and the broth.

Keep some roasted cauliflower florets for garnishing.

Then add the remaining cauliflower to the pot. Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat as needed to maintain a gentle cooking. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to give the flavours time to melt.

Once the soup is cooked, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.

Then carefully pour the hot soup into a blender or blend it directly with a good hand blender. Add the butter and puree the soup until it is smooth. Add nutmeg and puree again. Add more salt if desired. Mix again, the soup must be quite creamy.

Top each soup bowl with 1 roasted cauliflower floret and a sprinkle of chopped parsley, green onion or chives.