.png)
I have heard that the best way to prepare cauliflower is to just throw it in the trash and order a pizza. Now, I am not going to argue that statement, but I will say that we can’t be eating pizza everyday and cauliflower is such a great vegetable and so good for you, so let’s eat more of it. I feel like cauliflower can do just about anything these days, it’s everywhere and it’s in everything, even cauliflower crust pizza. So, lets turn it into a simple soup that is smooth, velvety and has a nice depth of flavour. This is an easy soup recipe and most of the work is prepping the vegetables to roast. That’s where a lot of the flavour for this soup is going to come from. It is delicious and you won’t be disappointed that you skipped a day of pizza.
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH SHALLOTS, GARLIC AND COCONUT MILK
Recipe by Mark Calaminici | Food Loves Company
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets and save the leaves
7 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil, more for garnish
Salt, to taste
Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. of smoked paprika
2-3 shallots, halved
1 head of garlic, slice off the top to reveal cloves
Chili flakes, to taste
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
900 ml or 5 cups of vegetable stock
2 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice
Nutmeg, to taste
1 can (400 ml) of coconut milk
Method
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. You can use the same bowl for the cauliflower and shallots, I used two for the video to help explain further. In a large bowl add the cauliflower florets, 3 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil, smoked paprika and season with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Mix to incorporate all ingredients. In a separate bowl add shallots, 1 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Peel and discard the papery outer layers of the garlic bulb. Slice the top half of the garlic head off. You want to see the cloves exposed. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper on the exposed cloves. Cover garlic head tightly in foil.
3. Place the cauliflower, shallots and garlic on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and space out everything evenly. You may need to use another baking sheet. Place in the oven for 40-50 minutes, depending on your oven and how thick the vegetables were cut. Give a mix or flip halfway through cooking. Once the cauliflower florets are browned and can be easily pierced with a knife, remove and set aside. The shallots should be tender and have some caramelization. The garlic may have to stay in the oven longer, depending on your oven. The garlic cloves should be tender and browned once done.
4. In a large pot on medium to high heat add 3 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil, chili flakes and 2 tbsp. unsalted butter. Once melted and the chili has bloomed add all the vegetables along with the vegetable stock. Cover with a lid and bring up to a boil. Remove from heat or turn down heat and use an immersion blender to blend everything to your desired consistency or use a blender. If using a blender pour the soup back into the pot and then add the lemon juice, nutmeg and add the coconut milk, either half or all, depending on your taste. Stir and simmer for about 10 minutes and then serve. Garnish with cauliflower leaves, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and freshly cracked pepper. Enjoy!