This soup is insanely yummy! And it's vegan and gluten-free!
It’s a fabulous first course of a fancy Winter dinner you’re making for your peeps. Maybe you’re having your besties over for a new moon in Aquarius circle, or an Imbolc gathering. Or maybe you’re celebrating Tu-B’shvat with your buddies and spending time with beloved trees, celebrating the Jewish holiday of trees, and you want to bring this soup in a thermos with you. If you’re like me and you love the outdoors, even in the Winter (I live in LA and Winter time is the glorious hiking season here), you might want to take a special treat for a post hike picnic, or southern California whale watching on the beach in February-March. Thermos is your friend!
Indoors or outdoors, this soup is a Winter dream!
It doesn’t require a crazy amount of work, it’s pretty easy to make, but each stage does require some cooking time. You can take care of other things while this soup takes its time through each of its phases.
Cauliflower is a Winter vegetable from the same family as cabbage, broccoli, and kale. You can start to see it at the Farmers Markets in the Fall. Originally, cauliflower grew on the island of Cyprus, before its seeds were traded all over Western Europe. Cauliflower is high in fiber and rich in vitamins, high in choline (which is important for the brain, the heart, and the liver), and is a great source of antioxidants.
Use organic ingredients as much as you can! It's better for you and better for the soil!
Take your cauliflower enthusiasm to the next level.
Ingredients:
For the soup:
3 leeks
2 shallots
6-8 garlic cloves
4 spring onion - purple and green parts
2-3 large cauliflower
1-2 bunches of Cilantro
1 ½ cups olive oil (I like using unfiltered, unrefined, organic olive oil)
salt & pepper
For the broth:
1-2 carrots
2-4 celery sticks + leaves
2 shallots
4 garlic cloves
2 large or 4 small golden potatoes
1 parsnip
1 bunch Parsley
A few dried mushrooms (any would do. I like using Black Trumpet for this)
To serve:
Freshly squeezed lemon
Chopped cilantro
Instructions:
For the broth:
First of all, let’s not get too caught in the exact right amount. Broth loves changes and adaptation. Change up the veggies and play with what is available to you. Feel free to change the amounts. Use more veggies if you want to make more broth and freeze some. Make your own version. Play! Have fun! Dare!
In a 3 QT pot (or larger) put all the veggies and then fill up with water. Add pink Himalayan salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil and then let it simmer for 45-60 minutes or longer. Broth loves being cooked for a while.
For the soup:
Heat up the oven to 400 degrees. Break the cauliflower into big chunks and place in a large baking tray. Season with pink Himalayan salt and ½ a cup of olive oil (or more). Bake for 45-60 minutes. Check on it every once in a while and turn the cauliflower pieces around so all sides get a nice roasty color.
Chop leeks, shallots, spring onions (purple and green parts), and garlic, and place In your soup pot with 1 cup of olive oil. Saute on medium heat for 10-15 minutes and stir often, until this mix of heaven achieves a nice golden color. When you’re happy with the goldenness, add half a bunch of chopped cilantro and stir for a couple of more minutes. If you sense a need for more olive oil, don’t be shy and add more.
Place the roasted cauliflower in the pot and cover with broth. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for an hour, so all the flavors mix, layer, and commingle. Check on it every once in a while, and if you sense that there’s not enough liquid, add a bit more broth. You can also let it cook for two hours (that’s what I did) - it isn’t necessary, but it does enrich the flavor.
After an hour (or two), take the pot off the stove and use a hand blender to blend it into a smooth consistency. Put back on the stove on low heat for a couple of minutes and stir.Serve into individual bowls, top it off with chopped cilantro (I like a lot, but you can put just a little), and squeeze lemon into each bowl. You can also top it off with some black pepper. Yummy yum yumster! Enjoy!
Just a reminder; my recipes are meant to provide a base for your own creative exploration in the kitchen. They are not set in stone. Have some fun with it! And let us know how it turned out for you in the comments below.
XOXO
Hagar
