Rich, creamy and delightfully delicious. We love this soup just the way it is, and it's a great template for add ins: crawfish, tasso or diced andouille would be divine. This soup works well with fresh or frozen cauliflower--win-win! We serve this soup with crispy, buttery Zhug croutons. Read on for the recipe!
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower cut into florets or 1 lb frozen cauliflower florets
Italian Herbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbl Smoked Porcini Shallot Mustard Blend
Salt-free chicken stock
Salt and white pepper to taste
Heavy cream (optional)
Directions:
Heat a stock pot over medium heat. Drizzle Italian Herbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil to coat the bottom. Add in the onions and celery. Cover and sweat the vegetables (cook without browning) until they are soft and translucent. Remove the cover and add in the garlic. Saute until fragrant. Add in the flour and stir to create a paste. Saute for 1 minute. Add in the Cauliflower and Smoked Porcini Shallot & Mustard Blend. Add stock to just cover the cauliflower. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until the cauliflower can be easily pierced with a knife--about 15 minutes.
Uncover and puree with a immersion (stick) blender or in a traditional blender, working in batches and ventilating the top and covering with a clean dish towel. Return pureed soup to the pot and taste. Adjust with salt and white pepper. Add more stock to adjust the consistency. Add in heavy cream for a decadent, velvety soup. If using cream, be sure to bring it back to a simmer before adjusting with more cream or stock.
To make the Zhug Croutons: Slice French bread into slivers or cubes. Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Drizzle in Italian Herbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil to coat the bottom of the pan and add in 1 Tbl butter. Add in the bread being sure not to overcrowd the pan. Toss the bread a bit to coat in the oil and butter. Sprinkle on some salt. Use a spatula and shaking motion to toast the bread. Right at the end, when the bread is just getting crispy, sprinkle on Zhug blend. Serve the soup with a few croutons on top.