A great recipe to use up less-than-perfect cauliflower.
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1-2 large cauliflowers, cut into florets*
1 litre chicken stock
½ cup cream
½ cup milk
½ cup grated Parmesan
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
sea salt and pepper
Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion. Cook over a gentle heat until the onion is soft but not coloured.
Add the garlic and thyme and cook for two minutes. Add the cauliflower and stock, cover and bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the cream, milk and nutmeg and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, take out the sprigs of thyme and blend in a blender until smooth and creamy. Return to the saucepan and add Parmesan. Add salt and pepper.
*I find homegrown cauliflower is sometimes not as dense as store-bought and you therefore require more, which is why the quantity of cauliflower is a bit loose. Also some may prefer a thicker or thinner soup and the thickness is easily adjusted by steaming up a bit more cauliflower and blending it in if needed.
