Creamy Cauliflower Soup With Rosemary Olive Oil
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This is a simple soup to make and very full of rosemary flavor. It makes a wonderful first course or a hearty lunch if you add some homemade bread croutons. Here we used a good sourdough bread. Bread is not something we eat often, but it worked well on this otherwise low calorie healthy soup. The recipe calls for making 1/2 cup of rosemary olive oil. It sounds like a lot, but you will most likely not use all of it. It will keep for a few days at room temperature. It it really great for roasting vegetables.
MAKES:6 Servings
PREP/COOK TIME: 40 Minutes
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE ROSEMARY OIL:
1/2 cup olive oil
4 (4-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary
FOR THE SOUP:
2 tablespoons rosemary olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 quart low-sodium Magic Mineral Broth, plus more as needed for reheating
1 medium head cauliflower, cored and broken into 1 1/2-inch florets (about 2 1/2 pounds)
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon, for serving
FOR THE CROUTONS (OPTIONAL):
3 cups diced sourdough bread (3/4-inch pieces)
DIRECTIONS
Make the rosemary oil: In a medium skillet, combine the olive oil and rosemary sprigs. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, lowering the heat if the oil reaches a full simmer. (You want to cook it at a very gentle simmer to avoid frying the rosemary.) Carefully pour the oil and rosemary into a small bowl, leaving a slick of oil in the pan if you plan to make croutons. Allow the rosemary to cool completely. Strain and discard the rosemary stems from the rosemary oil.
Make the soup: In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons rosemary olive oil over medium-low. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. (Be careful not to let the garlic scorch!)
Add the Magic Mineral Broth, cauliflower, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil over high. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the optional croutons: Heat the reserved skillet with the residual rosemary oil over medium. Add the bread cubes, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing often, until toasted all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the croutons to a plate or board to cool.
When the cauliflower is ready, remove the soup from the heat and, using an immersion blender, blend the soup and a tablespoon of the rosemary oil. Add more rosemary oil to taste, and blend to combine. Return the soup to the pot and bring to a simmer. If the soup seems thin, let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly. (Remember: The soup will continue to thicken as it cools.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve hot. Garnish each serving with a swirl of rosemary oil, a few croutons, and a sprinkle of lemon zest. The soup will thicken as it sits; add more stock as necessary when reheating.
