Cauliflower Soup with Parmesan Croutons
This recipe makes delicious and thrifty use of the 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick rinds that remain after grating wedges of Parmigiano-Reggiano. They infuse this velvety soup with a rich salty bite.
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
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2 tbsp (25 mL) butter
1 onion, chopped
1 leek (white and light green parts only) or onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch cayenne pepper
6 cups (1.5 L) cauliflower florets (about 1 head)
1 large potato, peeled and chopped
3 cups (750 mL) vegetable stock
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) milk or 10% cream
1/4 cup (50 mL) dry sherry or vegetable stock
2 rinds (each 4 x 2 inch/10 x 5 cm) parmigiano-reggiano or parmesan cheese
Parmesan Croutons:
2 cups (500 mL) cubed (1/4 inch/5 mm) day-old bread
1/3 cup (75 mL) grated parmigiano-reggiano or parmesan cheese
2 tbsp (25 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp (1 mL) crumbled dried thyme
Pinch each salt and cayenne pepper
Preparation:
Parmesan Croutons: In bowl, toss together bread, cheese, oil, thyme, salt and cayenne; spread on rimmed baking sheet. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Let cool. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 5 days.)
In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; fry onion, leek, celery, garlic, salt, nutmeg and cayenne, stirring often, until softened, about 8 minutes.
Stir in cauliflower, potato, stock, milk, sherry and cheese rinds; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly. With tongs, remove cheese rinds, scraping any gooey cheese back into soup. Discard rinds.
In batches, pur?soup in blender until smooth. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate, uncovered, in airtight container until cold. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)
Return to clean saucepan; heat through over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with Parmesan Croutons.
Additional Information
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Tip: You can substitute 1/2 cup (125 mL) finely grated Parmesan cheese for the Parmesan rinds. Add it to the soup just before pur?ng.
Source
Canadian Living Magazine: February 2007
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