creamy cauliflower soup
After a non-existent summer followed by three weeks of sunshine in October, I’m sad to say that winter is knocking on our door here in Switzerland. Luckily for me, I traded in the cold and rainy summer days in Geneva for two weeks in sizzling Thailand for our honeymoon, where we enjoyed the warmth of the beach and came back with sun-kissed skin and a full belly thanks to all the great food we ate.
But all good things come to an end–our trip was over in the blink of an eye and we found ourselves back in Geneva with 15 degrees Celsius less. To keep ourselves warm during an unusually cold August, I began to explore the art of soup-making with all sorts of vegetables, ranging from tomatoes and pumpkins to leeks and cauliflower. What’s so great about soups is the fact that they freeze really well, making them the perfect candidates for those days when you’re in a rush to eat or simply uninspired to cook.
One of my all-time favorite’s is a simple, yet rich cauliflower soup that retains its creaminess despite calling for no cream or milk at all, making this recipe totally dairy-free and low-cal. The trick to reaching a velvety texture without using dairy products is to add potatoes to the saucepan, which, thanks to their starch, thicken the consistency of your soup.
Besides cauliflower and potato, this soup also features leek and garlic cooked in white wine to bring an interesting twist. Leeks are not the easiest vegetable to deal with, as they are almost always full of dirt. If you can’t find leeks that were already thoroughly cleaned, make sure to wash them correctly to remove all the soil. Simply Recipes features a full article on how to clean leeks and make sure that they’re dirt-free and safe to eat.
I’ll get back to some delicious Thai recipes we learned to cook during our stay in Khao Lak. For now, enjoy the creaminess of the soup below!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 small leeks, washed, trimmed and roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup (0.5dl) dry white wine
- 4 cups (9.5dl) vegetable stock
- 6 small potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Sauté the leek in the saucepan for 8-10 minutes until soft, stirring often to make sure that they don’t brown. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring often until fragrant. Add the dry white wine and stir constantly until it evaporates.
- Add the vegetable stock, potatoes and cauliflower and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until the cauliflower and potatoes are soft.
- Blend until smooth, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
How did your creamy cauliflower soup come out? Share photos of your recipe on Instagram by tagging #savormania