Creamy Cauliflower & Onion Soup

Cauliflower soup can easily be bland - but not this one! It’s packed full of toasty, warming flavour! The recipe calls for you to roast the cauliflower florets in the oven before, then sweating down onions and garlic till soft and fragrant! The best part of this soup is how creamy it is - without using cream!! Just a knob of butter at end and you‘ve got a big comforting bowl of creamy soup! Please enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 heads cauliflower, washed and broken or sliced into florets

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• 50 grams of butter (divided)

• 2 large brown onions, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 or 3 bay leaves

• 1 sprig of fresh thyme

• 4 cups/ 2 litres vegetable broth

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 1/2 tablespoons of red or white wine vinegar (or lemon juice)

• Fresh thyme or parsley, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 200 C fanforced or 220 C/425 F. Line a baking tray with baking paper, then add the cauliflower florets, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, then gently toss. Roast the cauliflower in the oven until lightly golden on the outside, around 30 minutes.

• When the cauliflower is almost done roasting, in a Dutch oven or large pot on medium heat, add 25 grams of butter, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very soft and fragrant around 10 minutes.

• Take the cauliflower out of the oven, and if you would like, you can set aside some small florets to garnish the soup for later. Add the remaining cauliflower florets to the pot and add bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, then pour in the vegetable stock and water. Simmer soup for 30 minutes with the lid on.

• Remove the bay leaves from the soup then take the pot off the heat. Carefully (it will be very hot) pour the soup into a blender, working in batches if you need to. Add butter and vinegar then blend until very smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary, adding more salt or vinegar if you need to!

• To serve; pour soup into bowls then top with the reserved roasted cauliflower florets and a sprinkle of fresh thyme or parsley! Enjoy! Soup will last for up to 3 days in the fridge!