CAULIFLOWER

CAULIFLOWER AND LEEK SOUP

How best to describe this soup? From Louis P. De Gouy, The Soup Book , 1949: ‘Soup is cuisine’s kindest course. It breathes reassurance; it steams consolation; after a weary day it promotes sociability ... there is nothing like a bowl of hot soup, its wisp of aromatic steam making the nostrils quiver with anticipation.’ Nothing else need be said.

PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes | COOKING TIME: 25 minutes | SERVES: 6

1 large cauliflower

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large leek, pale part only, washed and chopped

1 large potato, peeled and chopped

6 cups (1.5 litres/52 fl oz) chicken stock

1 cup (250 ml/9 fl oz) milk

sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper

juice of ½ lemon

3 tablespoons chopped cashews

1 tablespoon chopped chives

Cut the cauliflower in half, remove the thick core and discard only the very toughest pieces of stalk. Finely chop the rest of the core (there is much flavour there). Separate the cauliflower into florets and chop the big pieces.

Melt the butter with the oil in a sturdy pot and add the leek. Cook over a gentle heat, covered, for 5 minutes, or until softened but not coloured, and then add the potato, cauliflower and stock. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the cauliflower is very tender and the potato begins to break up. Remove the soup from the heat and pour in the milk. Pour the soup into a blender (or use a hand-held blender) and process until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the lemon juice. Heat just to boiling point. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with cashews and chives.

TIP Leeks burn easily, so the trick is to cook them slowly over gentle heat with the lid on the pan to encourage them to steam in the oil and butter as they cook.