I thought we’d keep it easy over here at House of Brinson with this recipe. During the holidays there’s so much to do, and so many good recipe ideas and decorations (especially on Pinterest). Frankly I get overwhelmed by it all and need a break from cooking. I love the holidays but getting all the gifts organized, purchased, and shipped on time, is a task in itself. I think next year I’ll start in August? Also we’re really trying to keep pushing forward with renovating this house! We have a one month on, one month off policy, and we’ve had some time off, so now we’re preparing the living room for a start date in January. I had to find an expert plaster who really knew their stuff. I had been told our living room ceiling had to come down, and be replaced with dry wall (nothing makes me gag reflex more than hearing this). But in all the historic home/plaster research I did, was contrary to what contractors were telling me the ceiling had to come down. Finally, I found Chris, and he agreed he could work with the existing ceiling. So our living room has been shut down for a week, and all the furniture is relocated to other rooms while the ceiling is being repaired. Let me tell you, this is so worth having done, and having done properly.

On that note this recipe is perfect to share during the month of December, because it’s very simple and tastes amazing. It’s so good, we served it at my sisters baby shower and it was one of the most asked about items we served. It’s that good. This recipe would also make a wonderful first course to a fancy holiday dinner.

So why does this recipe taste so darn good? It’s the combination of flavors and roasted goodness if you ask me. I’m telling you, you have to make it to believe it. The cauliflower adds a lot of texture, and the garlic, is the POW, and sweetness cause it’s been roasted.

Cauliflower Soup Recipe

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets, stalk cut up in 1 inch cubes
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 shallots, peeled and cut into quarters (or halves if they are small)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth to make vegetarian)
• 1/2 cup water1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 cups of cream (if you want dairy free, we like the coconut coffee creamer)

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a cookie sheet, toss cauliflower florets, garlic, and shallots in the two table spoons of olive oil. Lightly salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast for 30 minutes, until golden brown.
2. Meanwhile, combine chicken broth, water and herbs in a large stock pot and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. When the roasted vegetables are done, add to a blender, then add the stock from the stovetop. Make sure to let the steam out of the little hole on top of the blender or by leaving a crack in the lid, or it will explode. It’s happened to us. It’s no joke. Blend until very smooth.
4. Return liquid to the pot, and add cream then salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. You might need to add a bit more stock to get the consistency right. Have some extra stock on hand. Serve with a crouton, toast points or fancy grill cheese.

Recipe notes:

• – Don’t stress if your roasted items look burnt, it makes the soup taste better. Promise.

• – I find cauliflower sizes vary dramatically depending on time of year. If you have a big one, you might have to add more chicken broth at the very end to get the texture right.

• – This soup is all about texture and it should be a bit thick and creamy, but not chunky nor too thick.

• – This recipe freezes well. Make the soup and add everything except the cream. Freeze soup, and add cream when you reheat. If you think about it, it’s very similar to making a soup base, the same kind you get in canned soup. Reheat the soup in the stovetop and stir in the cream, heat throughly.