Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Roasting the cauliflower brings out a new dimension to this vegetable. Top with the Mushroom Gremolata, or serve as is with a scattering of parsley.
Serves 6 as an appetizer
1 head cauliflower, core removed and florets sliced ½” thick
1 yellow onion, sliced 1/2” thick
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
2 tsp Indian-style curry paste or curry powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
4-5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Mushroom Gremolata
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp butter
¼ cup reserved florets, chopped
small handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper or greased aluminium foil. Place the sliced cauliflower and onion into a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the curry paste, salt, pepper and olive oil. Pour it over the vegetables and toss well. Spread the vegetables on the cookie sheet. Roast uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the edges begin to caramelize and the vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, in a medium pot, bring 4 cups of the stock to a boil. Add all but ¼ cup of the roasted vegetables to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree the mixture, adding more stock if necessary. Season to taste.
Roughly chop the ¼ cup reserved vegetables. Set aside.
To make the mushroom gremolata, sauté the mushrooms and garlic in the butter until the mushrooms have released their juices. Cook for several minutes more until the moisture has cooked off. Add the reserved chopped roasted vegetables and the parsley. Stir and set aside.
To serve, ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with a spoonful of gremolata.
