I originally got the recipe for this soup from Chef Paul Bertoli. An amazing chef who has written on of my favorite cook books "Cooking by Hand" (buy it here). If you enjoy sitting down and reading cookbooks I highly recommend his. Most of Chef Bertoli's recipes are very time consuming (like making your own tomato paste and drying it out in the sun), but this one is surprisingly simple. In it's most basic form, it is three ingredients-Cauliflower, Onion and Water. From there you can add to it (I've steeped in fresh herbs and added spice bags in a bouquet garni) but it is delicious on it's own.
Where it gets really special is what you can use the soup for. I mentioned it's delicious on it's own, but it is a great replacement for cream in many savory recipes. I've used the soup base to make a healthy Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken and Artichokes, New England Clam Chowder, Loaded Baked Potato Soup (with no potato) and as the cream element for a bisque.
Ingredients
1 Head fresh cauliflower, broken down
1 Onion, thinly sliced
Approx 5 cups of water, divided
Directions
Place your soup pot on med and add 2 tbsp. of butter or oil. Once hot, add the onions, season with salt and white pepper (about 1 tsp each) and sauté stirring often until translucent, 10 – 15 min. You do not want the onions to brown, you want to keep the white creamy color. Next add you cauliflower to the pot and 1 – 2 cups of water. You want the water about halfway up the cauliflower.
Season again with salt and white pepper. Cover the pot and stew the cauliflower for approx. 20 min. Remove the lid and add the remaining water. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding any salt or white pepper if needed. Simmer another 25 min lid off.
Blend the soup in batches (use a high speed blender or Vitamix if you have one), then let the soup sit 20 min to cool. It will start thickening up while cooling. The original recipe called for adding another ½ cup of water after it thickens, but I’ve found it usually does not need it (sorry Chef Paul). That's it, super simple. I finish mine with a homemade Basil oil and some Cauliflower leaves.
Here are things you can add:
Diced garlic – Add 4 diced cloves at the end of the onions, sauté 2 min, then add cauliflower and water
Bouquet Garni – I’ve added a bundle of thyme, basil, bay leaf and peppercorns. Add after you add the water.
Or use seafood stock instead water to make the clam chowder base, or chicken stock if making a healthy chicken pot pie
