Ballymaloe Cauliflower Soup Recipes

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine the cauliflower, carrot, celery, water and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender (do not drain)., In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Stir in the cheese until melted, adding hot pepper sauce if desired. Stir into the cauliflower mixture.

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in heavy large saucepan.
• Coarsely chop cauliflower leaves; set aside 1/2 cup and add remainder to water.
• Cover and simmer 25 minutes.
• Strain, pressing on leaves to extract as much liquid as possible; discard pressed leaves; return cooking liquid to saucepan.
• Cut cauliflower into florets; add to liquid with reserved 1/2 cup leaves.
• Cover and simmer until cauliflower and leaves are very tender, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat.
• Add flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently; whisk in milk.
• Increase heat and bring to boil, stirring constantly.
• Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Mix in 5 tablespoons parmesan cheese and nutmeg.
• Puree cauliflower with cooking liquid in batches in blender; return to saucepan and mix in cheese sauce.
• Bring to simmer, stirring constantly.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with additional parmesan and sauteed croutons and serve.

Steps:

• Make the rosemary oil: In a medium skillet, combine the olive oil and rosemary sprigs. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, lowering the heat if the oil reaches a full simmer. (You want to cook it at a very gentle simmer to avoid frying the rosemary.) Carefully pour the oil and rosemary into a small bowl, leaving a slick of oil in the pan if you plan to make croutons. Allow the rosemary to cool completely in the oil while you make the soup.
• Make the soup: In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. (Be careful not to let the garlic scorch!)
• Add the stock, cauliflower, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil over high. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the optional croutons: Heat the reserved skillet with the residual rosemary oil over medium. Add the bread cubes, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing often, until toasted all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the croutons to a plate or board to cool.
• Strain and discard the rosemary stems from the rosemary oil. Working in batches if necessary, carefully transfer the vegetables, stock and 1/4 cup rosemary oil to a blender and blend on high until creamy. Add more rosemary oil to taste, and blend to combine. Return the soup to the pot and bring to a simmer. If the soup seems thin, let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly. (Remember: The soup will continue to thicken as it cools.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve hot. Garnish each serving with a swirl of rosemary oil, a few croutons, and a sprinkle of lemon zest. The soup will thicken as it sits; add more stock as necessary when reheating. Leftover rosemary oil will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Toss the cauliflower florets in a roasting tin with 1 tbsp olive oil, the cumin and the thyme. Roast for 15 mins or until golden and tender. Discard the thyme.
• Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan with the onion and celery and fry over a medium heat for 10 mins or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Stir through most of the cauliflower, reserving some to top the soup with later. Add 750ml of the stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 mins.
• Blitz the soup until smooth using a hand blender or food processor. Stir through the cream and season to taste. Add extra stock if you like your soup a little thinner. Ladle into bowls and top with the parsley, reserved cauliflower and an extra drizzle of olive oil.