Roasted Cauliflower Leek Soup

By TiggyBee • October 7, 2010 • 4 Comments

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Author Notes: This is a variation of an old family recipe, but one that normally calls for potatoes and broccoli. I simply substituted roasted cauliflower for the potatoes and broccoli and decided to roast the leeks along with the cauliflower for some extra depth. So simple to make and so very delicious! - TiggyBee

Serves 4

2 Heads of cauliflower
3 Leeks (white part only)
3 Garlic cloves
6 cups Of your favorite chicken stock (homemade if possible)
A cup or so of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Grated Gruyere for garnish
Crumbled Pancetta for garnish (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil for roasting
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400. Wash the cauliflower and leeks and place on baking sheet, separating the cauliflower into florets. Drizzle the leeks and florets with olive oil and roast in oven for approximately 40 minutes or until nicely browned.
20 minutes into roasting, turn the florets over and add the garlic to the sheet for the last 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool.
After the leeks are cool, cut them into 2 inch slices and pulse them in a food processor along with the roasted garlic until minced.
In a soup pot, combine the chicken stock, garlic and leek mixture plus the florets and bring to a gentle boil for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
Using an immersion blender or food processor, pulse the soup together until desired consistency, less for a chunkier soup or more for a smoother one.
Re-heat the soup and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste, but remember the pancetta will satisfy some of the need for salt.
Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle the grated Gruyere and Pancetta on top and serve.