A hearty soup with option of bacon and fresh herbs. Cauliflowers are in season right now and perfect for cold nights. Roasting cauliflower in a little extra virgin olive oil brings out all the sweet flavour. Reserve a roasted floret for garnish.

Ask my husband what my favourite flower is and he will tell you it is cauliflower. For our 15 year wedding anniversary a couple months ago, he surprised me with the most wonderful bouquet featuring a whole head of cauliflower.

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Cauliflower and Parmesan Soup

15 mins prep | 30 mins cook
Difficulty: Easy | Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS
1 whole cauliflower (1kg)
1 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 potatoes
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups water
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup heavy cream
TO SERVE: Crispy bacon, fresh herbs and extra virgin olive oil

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.

2. Cut the cauliflower in half and then into quarters. Remove and discard the core sections and cut the rest into florets roughly the same size.

3. Place cauliflower and sliced onion on an oven tray. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings. Toss to combine. Spread out in an even layer and roast for 30 minutes at 200°C until tips are just starting to brown.

4. Pour stock into large saucepan and bring to a boil. Peel and chop potatoes into bite-size pieces and place into the pot. Cook for 15-20 minutes until tender.

5. Select 4 pieces of roasted cauliflower to reserve for garnish and add the rest of the cauliflower and onion to the pot along with grated parmesan, simmer for 5 minutes. Blend with a stick blender until smooth. Blend in the cream, adding a little hot water if needed to thin out the soup to a desired consistency. Season to taste.
6. Ladle into bowls and top with cauliflower garnish, chopped crispy bacon, fresh herbs and an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

This recipe was created for Borges Olive Oil.