Best cauliflower soup ever

1 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
1largeCauliflower; cored & separated into florets
2tablespoonsWhite wine vinegar
Garlic heads; minced
1teaspoonCrushed peccorino or other small dried red pepper
¼cupOlive oil; (the best you can afford)
4cupsVegetable broth; hot; (Vegetarian faux-chicken stock is nice too)
2Fresh habs; minced
2tablespoonsPaprika
2teaspoonsCalvin's; (\"Nothing comes between me and my Calvin's... Nothing\") or, if you don't have any, cayenne I suppose
2teaspoonsSalt; (Kosher salt or sea salt helps enhance the flavour)
2teaspoonsBlack ppper
1bunchParsley; Italian; freshly chopped
Pecorino cheese; grated
5 minutes.

Directions

Someone on the list was looking for veggie recipes. Here's one I modified, originally called Neopolitan Cauliflower Soup, but transformed by me into a CH wonder. Trust me, you don't have to be a veghead to enjoy it. Even more tasty when made with organic ingredients, but the real secret is to use really, really good olive oil.

Rinse the cauliflower and trim coarsely. Place in a large bowl with vinegar and stir to further clean the cauliflower.

Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan of salted water to boiling and heat the vegetable/faux-chicken stock. Put cauliflower into the boiling water, return to a boil and cook over a moderately high heat until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the cauliflower thoroughly.

Toss the cauliflower into the bowl that held the water/vinegar cleansing mixture and set aside. Once saucepan has cooled, pour in olive oil. Heat over medium-low heat and then drop in minced garlic. Cook garlic for about 3 minutes, till golden. Then toss in boiled cauliflower, habs and peccorino. Cook, stirring and slicing up the cauliflower further, for about Pour in heated broth, and add salt, pepper, Calvin's, paprika and parsley.

Heat, then remove from heat and blend like a mofo. I use a handblender, but whatever works for you is okay. Point is, when you beat the heck out of the cauliflower, you get a nice creamy consistency without having to add milk or cream (bonus for vegans).

Heat through and serve. Top with lots of Italian pecorino and you'll be one happy camper. Add some tasty crusty white bread (we ain't talkin' Wonderbread here, folks) and you'll be plotting a move to Italy. FWIW, this soup keeps in my fridge for up to a week.

Posted to CHILE-HEADS DIGEST by Edmiston <edmiston@...> on May 10, 1998