This cream soup is the perfect way to start a fancy lunch with. It is light, it is creamy and it melts in the mouth. You are sure to make an unforgettable impression on your guests. Mother's Day is a great time to gather people around the table. This year we are going to celebrate at my mother-in-laws and this is what I plan on cooking. It is a very refreshing dish of food, and not overpowering, making it ideal for a day when there are many courses served at the table.
The main ingredients for this cream soup are cauliflower, garlic, wine and olive oil. I like to take a break from the conventional soups every now and then. Growing up we would eat a lot of cauliflower dishes, but I never had cauliflower in a soup until now. This vegetable is often times underestimated, so with this soup I wanted to emphasize the delicate, yet amazing taste of cauliflower.
RECIPE
for the puree:
6 cups cauliflower florets
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups white wine
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
for the cauliflower steaks:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 (1 inch wide) cauliflower slices
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
NOTE: I used one big cauliflower and I sliced the steaks first in the middle and I reserved the florets for the puree.
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the cauliflower florets in a pan together with the olive oil, white wine, garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Cover with the lid and steam on medium heat for 25 minutes or until the cauliflower florets are tender.
Meanwhile make the cauliflower steaks. In a non-stick pan heat up the olive oil. Season the cauliflower steaks with salt and pepper, and fry for about 2-3 minutes on each side.
When the cauliflower florets are steamed, place them in a food processor together with the liquid and puree into a fine paste.
To serve place about a cup and a half of the cauliflower puree in each dish (you will end up with three), top with the cauliflower steaks and serve warm.
And if you want to make your cauliflower soup even more festive I have created a second option of it that involves asparagus, dill, blue cheese and violets. It is to die for and so refreshing. You can tell spring arrived in Michigan as well.
RECIPE
1 portion cauliflower soup recipe as listed above
9 baguette slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
4 green asparagus springs, boiled and blanched, then halved
1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese
6 fresh violets
few springs of fresh dill
INSTRUCTIONS
Pour the cauliflower soup in a serving dish. Top with a few florets of the cauliflower steaks and set aside.
Brush the baguette slices with the olive oil and sprinkle with half the salt, half the pepper and all the herbs de Provence. Grill using a non-stick pan until nice and brown around the edges (about 3 minutes).
Arrange 2 of the baguette slices on top of the cauliflower soup and reserve the rest to be served in the individual soup bowls.
Sprinkle the asparagus with the remaining salt and pepper and place on top of the soup as well.
Decorate with the blue cheese, fresh violets and fresh dill.
