Orange Cauliflower and Fuji Apple Soup with Sage Cream and Aged Cheddar Tuiles

Directions

1. Orange Cauliflower and Fuji Apple Soup
2. Heat oven to 450° F.
3. Cut the cauliflower into florets and transfer to a large baking sheet. Toss with 2 tablespoons canola oil and a pinch of salt. Roast in the oven until the florets are browned in spots, about 30 minutes. Make sure to shake the pan and toss the florets every 10 minutes or so to ensure even baking.
4. While the cauliflower is roasting, coarsely chop the apples and set aside.
5. Peel and finely chop the onion.
6. Mince the sage leaves - you will only need 1 tablespoon.
7. When the cauliflower is done, reduce the oven temperature to 350° F.
8. Heat the butter and remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large stockpot set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sage and cook until the onion is very soft, about 6-7 minutes. Add the chopped apple and cook for another 6-7 minutes.
9. Add the roasted cauliflower, 4 cups of the stock, white pepper, and a large pinch of salt . Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
10. Let the soup cool for at least 20 minutes, then blend it in 3 batches, adding 2/3 cup stock to each batch. When all the soup has been blended, return it to the pot and add more salt and pepper to taste and more stock if necessary to thin out the soup (water will work, too).
11. Optional step: strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve. This will give you a really silky, smooth soup that seems much richer than it really is. But you can skip this step if you don't want to be bothered - I've skipped it and the soup is still stellar.
12. Before serving, reheat the soup and add more water or stock as necessary so that the soup is not too thick (it tends to thicken in the fridge).
13. Pour 1 tablespoon of the strained sage cream over the soup and serve each bowl with a tuile.

1. Sage Cream and Aged Cheddar Tuiles
2. While the soup is simmering, combine the heavy cream and sage in a small saucepan. Bring the cream to a simmer over medium-low heat, and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
3. Remove the cream from the heat and let the sage steep in the cream for 20 minutes. Strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve and set aside. Let come to room temperature before serving (cream can be refrigerated for a few days).
4. Shred the cheese using the smallest holes of a box grater or a microplane.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpats (the latter works much better but parchment is ok). Divide the cheese into 6 equal portions and sprinkle each portion onto the parchment in a large round.
6. Bake the tuiles until the cheese is melted and just starting to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the oven and let the tuiles cool on the pan for 1 minute. Move the parchment from the pan to a cool surface and let the tuiles cool completely.
8. Tuiles can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week (but I doubt they will last that long...they are addictively good!)