Cauliflower soup

Are you preparing a boiled or steamed cauliflower?

Well, do not throw away the leaves and the harder parts, make a soup with that!

Of course you can use the whole cauliflower with great results!

Very easy to prepare, it takes about 30/45 minutes to get ready,  it is tasty and warming in this cold winter and very cheap to make.

A light comfort food you can offer to your guests as well, if you garnish it in the right way!

Ingredients for 4:

About 400 grs / 1 lb. cauliflower and its leftovers (leaves, stem, broken pieces)

200 grs / 1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces

½ liter/ one pint vegetable stock

½ leek or 2 shallots, finely chopped

3 spoons of olive oil

Salt to taste

Pepper

Serve with

-  Croutons or

-  A thin slice of bacon for each cup 

How to:

    1)      Wash the cauliflower very well and cut the leftovers into small pieces (discard any tough or damaged parts)

   

   2)      Peel and cut the potatoes in pieces

   

   3)      Slice the leak or the shallot very finely, warm up the oil in a pan and let it cook over a medium heat until soft and golden

    
  4) Put the vegetables in the pan, let them saute for 1-2 minutes, stir well, add the stock to cover the vegetables and bring it to the boil.

5)      Put a lid on the pan, and let it cook for 20 minutes, stir well, then take the lid away and cook for an other 15-25 minutes until all the ingredients are soft. Turn off the heat.

   6)      With an immersion blender, whisk the vegetable and the stock until you obtain a thick soup.

7) Serve hot in a little bowl or cup with some freshly ground pepper, croutons, fried bread, or a slice of cooked bacon (it must be dry) cut it into 2-3 pieces or a sprinkle of grated cheese.

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Gratinated cauliflower

Gratinated cauliflower

I really like cauliflowers, and I had to find a way to convince my daughter to eat them as well. So I tried my mother's trick, to disguise it in a different dish.
She usually made this recipe with boiled fennel (which I still do not eat), but I think that cauliflowers are much better.
A very easy recipe, which can be done using different stemed vegetable leftovers, and that can be an easy and elegant side dish.

You can prepare it in advance, and bake it just before eating it.  (Remember that bechamel sauce must be refrigerated and that it lasts one day in the fridge), or frozen after cooking.

Ingredients:

1 cauliflower
butter
30 grs Shredded Parmigiano reggiano
a pinch of nutmeg
butter to grease your baking pan

for the bechamel
1/2 liter milk
50 grs. butter
50 grs. flour

salt and pepper


How to:

1) Prepare the bechamel sauce.

2) Pre heat your oven 180°C/

3) Wash and clean your cauliflower, cut off all the leaves and the harder inside parts. Discard them but do not throw them away.
You can prepare a nice soup with them!

4) Put the cauliflower in the pressure cooker or boil the cabbage until soft but not too much or microwave it. Drain it well;


5) Grease your baking pan and put the boiled cauliflower in it - season with salt and pepper. Pour the bechamel sauce on it and spread the Parmesan cheese and a pinch of nutmeg

6) Bake for 15- 20 minutes or until the bechamel boils and the Parmigiano is slightly brow. Wait at least 5 minutes before serving to let the sauce settle.

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cauliflower soup