Winter Cheddar Cauliflower Soup

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 large head (2 lb) cheddar (yellow) cauliflower, chopped into 1" pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 C (1 quart) chicken or vegetable broth
Rendered fat from 2 strips of bacon or 2 T olive oil
2 T chopped thyme, rosemary, marjoram or other favorite herb
1 t sea salt
1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
squeeze of lemon

Directions

Though you might think there's cheddar cheese in this soup, we're actually using a yellow cauliflower officially named cheddar cauliflower. Yeah! It's bright and beautiful and full of luscious flavor that makes you forget that it's so very healthy. Don't forget that olive oil drizzle and squeeze of lemon at the end - they're two of my signature secrets for making almost everything taste super yummy. Enjoy this gorgeous soup with chopped prosciutto on top for lunch or late dinner, or in a small bowl by itself as a snack to tide you over until late dinner with friends or family. Enjoy, my friends!

Directions:

In a dutch oven over medium heat, add fat or olive oil and heat through. Once hot but not smoking add onions and celery. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute about 1 minute, until fragrant, constantly stirring so it doesn't burn. Add cauliflower and 1 C broth, cover and simmer briskly for 5 minutes. Add rest of the broth and then season with salt, pepper and chopped herbs and about 1 T drizzle of olive oil to give it a yummy, comforting texture. Puree with stick blender (i.e., immersion blender) until desired smoothness or in batches in a blender for extra smoothness. Add a squeeze of lemon and taste again for salt and pepper. Serve with leftover chopped herbs sprinkled in the center with a drizzle of olive oil.

Note: Season with herbs right before serving so the pungency and fragrance is fresh and brings out the best in the cauliflower. Always keep extra chopped herbs at the end to garnish your soup before serving. Drizzling with olive oil will give it richer body and smoother-seeming texture without heaviness, unless you really pour it on.

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