Nutty cauliflower soup

Ouch.

I’ve burned my tongue.

I worked late this evening and had to go for a run when I got home. You know those nights when it feels like your shoulders are glued to your ears? It was one of those, and nothing but exercise would do. When I got back I was Hungry (and also Sweaty). Luckily, I’d planned to make cauliflower soup. From start to finish it took about thirty minutes to make and I even had time to hop in the shower while the white florets were boiling away. Still, with onions, garlic and two kinds of paprika it smelled so good that there was no time to wait for the soup to drop to somewhere closer to body temperature before I took a bite.

And that’s where you get hurt.

But it’s okay. Smoky, slightly spicy and with a nutty flavor to enhance the cauliflower’s natural earthiness, this soup was worth it. It is based on a recipe from Sarah Raven’s Garden Cookbook, which includes almonds and bay leaves. I’ve always thought cauliflower has a bit of a non-descript flavor so I replaced the subtle bay leaves with two kinds of paprika for more oomph. Swapping the almonds for hazelnuts was born out of necessity (no almonds in the kitchen, no intention to leave the house again before I was fed), but worked well. Paired with a few buttered crackers, this soup was just what the doctor ordered after a long day.

Nutty cauliflower soup
Adapted from Sarah Raven’s Garden Cookbook

Serves 2

1 smallish head of cauliflower, broken into large florets
1 tbsp of butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp spicy paprika
30 gr roasted hazelnuts, ground fine
½ litre of chicken stock, or more

Melt the butter in a soup pot. Cook the onion in butter until soft. Add garlic, both kinds of paprika and hazelnuts. Stir. Add stock so that cauliflower is completely covered. Simmer for about fifteen minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Use stick blender to liquidize soup. Serve warm (but don’t burn your tongue).