Creamy Cauliflower Soup: Hold the Cream


I'm not a creamed soup fan. There is something about heating up a cup of heavy cream and drinking it that just turns me off.

I like brothy soups, ones filled with beans, vegetables and homemade stocks, maybe a neck bone or two thrown in.

Cream soups are for cans.

This looks like a soup made with cream, but it's not!

It's all pureed vegetables with stock. It is so simple to make and one of the best versions of cauliflower soups out there.

The recipe comes from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan.

It is pretty straight forward and seems like nothing special, but I promise it is.

I took the liberty of making a parsley walnut oil pesto to swirl into the soup for color and wow factor.


This is one beautiful soup.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup, Sans Cream:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large onions, coarsely chopped, Vidalia, Spanish, or yellow
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 celery stalks, sliced
2 thyme sprigs, leaves only
salt and fresh ground white pepper
1 head cauliflower, leaves removed, broken into florets (discard the tough core)
6 cups vegetable broth or 6 cups chicken broth


Walnut Parsley Oil (don't skip this!):

1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 fresh parsley
1/4 cup of walnut oil

To make the pesto: Chop the walnuts and parsley together into a very fine mash, but leaving some crunch to the nuts.
Add in enough oil so that it looks like a dressing (about 1/4 cup). Set aside.


For the soup: In a large, heavy stockpot, heat the butter and oil and cook the onions, celery and garlic on very low heat covered, for 20 minutes. You want to sweat the vegetables, low and slow, not brown them.

Add in the cauliflower florets and the stock and thyme. Remove the lid and simmer the soup for 20 minutes until the cauliflower is soft.


When the soup is cool enough to handle, puree in a blender or my favorite immersion hand blender.
Taste, and season with salt and white pepper (I used regular black pepper).

Swirl in some of the walnut parsley oil and serve.


Delicious!!!!

Enjoy!

Comments

mil said…
Dil,

brrrrrr.... just the day for a bowl of your delicious soup.
Lots of work but worth it, I'm sure. The soup bowl isn't bad either. How beautiful.
love,
Mil
gourmet goddess said…
i right right with you , cream in soup just does not sound right to me .... I can barely tolerate cheese in soups. This looks like a keeper !

gg
Carrie Anne said…
I love pureed vegetable soups sans cream. This one looks so good! I am running out to buy cauliflower now!
Perfect for a winter day.
Natalia said…
I too dislike creamy soups but like this type of soup. I've made something similar to this with broccoli - just bought some cauliflower and will now be using for this soup. Perfect for a winter day.
This is what I like about French food. They take good ingredients and keep it simple. I have to say the walnuts and parsley really gild the lily. I pinned this.
Ciao Chow Linda said…
Well, I'm a fan of cream and non-cream soups, but I must say this walnut parsley garnish just MAKES this soup. I need to try this.
beck said…
I'm making it tonight! Thanks for the inspiration, Sta- you never steer me wrong- I dont know how you continue to come up with THE BEST recipes! Hey- and screw the militants in the hood- totally their loss!! xo
Anonymous said…
Made this yesterday with your nut pesto.....>DELICIOUS!!!!!!
Elizabeth said…
Stacey, this looks so good. I'm trying it soon. What other uses are there for walnut oil? I hate to buy something I'd only use for one recipe, but I bet you'll have some good ideas for me! Thanks.
Eileen said…
Will have to make this (soon). It looks like my kind of soup.