Ina Garten Cauliflower Soup Recipes

CAULIFLOWER-CHEDDAR SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until they start softening, about 4 minutes. Add the cauliflower, bay leaf, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the cauliflower starts browning, 5 minutes. Stir in the flour until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and milk; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat; simmer until the cauliflower is tender, 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
• Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth (or puree in the pot with an immersion blender). Return the soup to the pot over medium heat. Stir in the cheese until melted; add up to 1 cup water if the soup is too thick.
• Add the sherry; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve with cheese straws.

CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Steps:

• Melt 1/2stick of the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Then add the onions and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots and celery, and then stir and cook for a couple more minutes. Throw in the cauliflower. Then stir it around, cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes.
• Add the parsley, and then add the chicken broth and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Meantime, make a simple white sauce: Melt the remaining 1/2stick butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Then whisk in the flour. Cook for a couple of minutes, and then pour in the milk, whisking to combine. Remove the white sauce from the heat and pour in the half-and-half. Then pour this creamy mixture into the pot. Add 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste, and allow the soup to simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes. The soup will thicken slightly but shouldn't be overly thick. Give it a taste and add more salt if needed.
• Now, this is the fun part: To serve the soup, place the room temperature sour cream in the bottom of a soup tureen (a very large serving bowl). Then add the whole pot of hot soup to the tureen.
• Stir gently to combine, and then serve immediately with warm rolls and an appetite for something wonderful.
• You will love everything about this.

CAULIFLOWER, FENNEL AND POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, cayenne, 1 cup of the potato, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring, until the potatoes are well coated, 2 to 3 minutes more. Pour in the broth and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a simmer.
• Reserve two florets (about 2 inches in diameter) of the cauliflower. Add the fennel and the remaining cauliflower and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a simmer. Remove from the heat and let cool at least 5 minutes. Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf and stir in the parsley. Carefully puree until smooth with a handheld immersion blender or in 2 to 3 batches in a blender (do not fill the blender more than halfway full per batch).
• Meanwhile, place the remaining 1/4 cup potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and heat in the microwave for 4 minutes. Carefully unwrap and set aside to cool.
• Slice the reserved cauliflower florets thinly, about 1/8 inch thick. (You need about 12 pieces.) Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower pieces in a single layer and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip the pieces over and cook until tender and golden brown on the second side, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet. Add the microwaved potato and season with salt. Cook, stirring, until golden brown all over, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Reheat the soup if necessary. Adjust the consistency and seasoning with water, salt and pepper.
• Serve hot sprinkled with some pan-fried cauliflower and potato and fresh parsley leaves.
• Note: When blending hot liquid, first let it cool for 5 minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters and pulse until smooth.

PARMESAN-ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Remove the outer green leaves from the cauliflower and cut the head into florets, discarding the stems. Place the florets on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing once, until the cauliflower is tender and starts to brown. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and Gruyere and bake for 1 to 2 more minutes, just until the cheese melts. Season to taste and serve hot or warm.

CAULIFLOWER GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.
• Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

CAULIFLOWER TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Turn the cauliflower upside down on a cutting board. Cut off and discard most but not all of the stems, then cut the florets into small, 1/2-inch clusters. Place the florets on a sheet pan, toss them with the olive oil, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and spread them out in a single layer. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing two or three times, until the florets are tender and randomly browned. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• Set the oven to broil and arrange a rack 6 inches below the heat.
• Transfer the florets to a large mixing bowl and add the mascarpone, stirring to coat the florets evenly. Stir in the Gruyere, prosciutto, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
• Toast the bread in a toaster until lightly browned, and place in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with foil. Mound the cauliflower mixture evenly on each toast and dust with paprika. Broil the toasts for 2 to 4 minutes, until browned and bubbling. (Watch them carefully!) Transfer to plates and sprinkle with Parmesan, the chives, and sea salt. Serve hot.

GOURMET'S ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Cut cauliflower into 1-inch flowerets (about 10 cups).
• In a large baking pan toss cauliflower, garlic, and shallots with oil to coat and roast in middle of oven about 30 minutes, or until golden.
• Turn frequently and remove any of the garlic and shallots if they are done soone.
• In a 4-quart pot simmer stock/broth, water, roasted cauliflower mixture, and herbs 30 minutes, or until cauliflower is very tender.
• Discard bay leaf and in a blender puree soup in batches until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a bowl.
• Return soup to pot and stir in cream and salt and pepper to taste.
• Heat soup over moderate heat until just heated through.
• Note: You can easily alter the proportions of stock, water and cream to taste.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Stir garlic and vegetable oil together in a small bowl. Arrange cauliflower florets on a baking sheet; pour oil mixture over cauliflower. Toss to coat.
• Bake cauliflower in the preheated oven until tender and lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
• Melt butter in a 4-quart stockpot over medium heat; cook and stir leeks and flour in the melted butter until fragrant and well blended, 5 to 10 minutes. Add cauliflower, chicken stock, and cream; simmer until flavors have combined, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir chervil, salt, and pepper into the soup; simmer until desired thickness, 10 to 15 more minutes.