Cauliflower and cheese got my attention, but it was chilly weather and an unfamiliar technique that moved this recipe to the top of my to-make list.
This recipe uses a blending method that was new to me -- adding the cooked soup base to the blender along with the cheese and pureeing them together. It was one of those ah-ha moments that made me wonder why I hadn't thought of it myself. It saved time -- no standing over the pot adding cheese a handful at a time and stirring between each addition while keeping an eye on the heat to make sure the mixture didn't boil -- and ensured an even melt with no sunken blobs of semi-melted cheese lurking in the bottom of the pot.
And in my case, because I was eating the soup right away, there was no need to return the soup to the pot to heat through. I simply poured the soup from the blender into my soup bowl, added my garnishes and dug in.
My head of cauliflower was quite small, and I'm the only cauliflower eater in my house, so I reduced this recipe quite a bit from the original. If you have a big head of cauliflower -- say more than 2 pounds -- you'll want to double the other ingredients. The other significant change I made was to use Havarti cheese instead of sharp white cheddar. I didn't have any white cheddar and was in a Havarti mood. The mild, creamy Danish cheese worked quite well and complemented the flavor of the cauliflower. Gruyere would be good as well.
Garlicky cauliflower and cheese soup
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to serve
1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
5 small to medium cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
Salt
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 (1- to 2-pound) head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 1-inch florets
2 cups vegetable broth
4 ounces Havarti cheese, shredded
Ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
In a large pot over medium-low, heat just enough oil to coat the pan until shimmering. Stir in the onion, garlic and generous pinch of salt, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened but not browned, six to eight minutes. Stir in the paprika and the cauliflower, then add the broth and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the cauliflower is tender, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool, uncovered, for about five minutes.
Using a blender and working in batches to avoid overfilling the jar, puree the mixture with the cheese until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and heat over low, stirring, just until heated through; do not simmer. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.
Makes two to three servings.
Recipe from Diane Unger Via Milk Street