Simple ethereal sustenance… vegan.
There is nothing simple about soup.
Humble, nourishing, comforting, delicious, silky, filling, creamy, chunky, tasty, warming, chilling, classic, inexpensive, delectable, seasonal, and special – All are good words to describe the time and care it takes to make the most basic of ingredients elevate to ethereal sustenance.
To which, I give you Cream of Cauliflower Almond and Sage soup.
Though cream is in the title of this soup, there is no actual cream in this soup… and no butter for that matter. The almonds, once toasted, provide a rich flavor. Once pureed, the almonds and potato give the soup a creamy texture. Seasoned with sage and smoked paprika, this soup is vegan ethereal sustenance.
My Recipe: CREAM OF CAULIFLOWER w Almond and Sage serves 6 – 8
1 large cauliflower head, green stemmed trimmed; roughly chopped
1 c blanched almonds
1 medium white potato, peeled; roughly chopped
1 medium yellow onion, peeled; roughly chopped
1 stalk celery; roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic; peeled
10 fresh sage leaves
2 T olive oil
½ t smoked paprika
10 c vegetable stock or water
kosher salt
cracked black pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; toast almonds on an ungreased sheet pan for 8 minutes until lightly browned; set aside to cool, reserving 2 T of the almonds for garnish
Heat a soup pot over medium heat; add olive oil; sauté onions, garlic, and celery until vegetables begin to soften, approximately 5 minutes; add toasted almonds and 4 sage leaves; sauté for 3 more minutes
Add cauliflower, potato, and 4 cups of vegetable stock, or water, to pot; bring pot to a boil; lower heat; and simmer, uncovered until vegetables become very soft, approximately 35 – 40 minutes
The vegetables and almonds will absorb the liquid while they cook and the liquid will evaporate; do not allow all of the liquid to evaporate
Carefully puree vegetable-almond mixture in a blender in batches using remaining room temperature vegetable stock to help in blending; add 4 more sage leaves to the blender while blending
TO AVOID A STEAM BURN WHILE PUREEING, DO NOT FILL THE BLENDER TO CAPACITY AND DO NOT HEAT THE REMAINING VEGETABLE STOCK, OR WATER, BEFORE USING IN THE BLENDER
Pour pureed soup into a clean pot; season with kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and smoked paprika; warm soup over medium- low heat while stirring; the soup should have a rich, velvety consistency; use vegetable stock to adjust the consistency if soup is too thick; remember to taste and adjust seasoning after each addition of more stock, or water
Finely chop reserved toasted almonds and remaining 2 sage leaves; set aside
To serve; ladle warm soup into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of almond-sage mixture
Another word… Elegant! This soup is elegant enough to start an autumn dinner party or a simple vegetarian meal with homemade bread on a rainy evening.
always in good T.A.S.T.E – cause you gottatastethis!
