The recent sub-Arctic conditions have seen the return of two Winter warmers to my table: roasted vegetables and homemade soup. Combining the two I recently pulled together this Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup Recipe to add to my Winter kitchen repertoire.
The inspiration for the recipe came from a scrumptious potage I had tasted at our beloved local 100 Mile Table in Byron Bay. It was Roasted Cauliflower and Blue Cheese Soup that totally knocked the socks off. Chef Sarah Swan first roasts her cauliflower heads whole. Out of the oven the heads look mighty impressive, like burnished antiquities fit for display. However the resulting soup is anything but old. The soup is rich and thick and finished with a perfect dab of blue cheese to add a salty bite for balance. Served with a buttery piece of lightly toasted sourdough it the ideal lunch to enjoy sitting in the half sun warming the bones.
So it was, after a recent Friday Farmers Market visit, that I was compelled to hit the test kitchen for a soup making session. It was grey outside and, once again, I had procured an over abundance of delicious seasonal vegetables from my favourite market stallholders.
For the Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup experiment I baked some cauliflower and broccoli florets together. Roasted broccoli is my new discovery. We have been eating it by the bagful lately and I thought it would go well in some soup. I have roasted whole broccoli heads, broccoli florets and even broccolini. Simply douse their flowering green heads in lashings of buttery macadamia oil and a showering of sea salt flakes before roasting them in a hot oven for about 20 minutes. The end result is a taste and textural sensation. The broccoli goes a little crisp around the edges and you can cook it to al dente or take it a little bit further if you prefer yours a little softer.
To finish the Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup I added the roasted vegetables to a simple soup base before blending all the ingredients to a smooth, light chestnut colour. The resulting soup is nutty and earthy and full of goodness. I like to serve the soup in individual ramekins. I also grill some baguette slices with grated Gouda cheese and serve these on top of the ramekins like a French Onion soup. It’s best to let the cheesy baguette slices sit on top for a few minutes to soak up the soup.
While Winter is not my favourite season of the year, I know that roasted vegetables and this Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup Recipe will see me through to the other side of these next few months.
- 1 medium head of cauliflower
- 1 medium head broccoli
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt flakes and cracked pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 medium potatoes, diced
- 1.5L vegetable stock
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
- Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
- Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into florets and chop the stalks into pieces. Add the florets and chopped stalks to a roasting dish along with the olive oil, sea salt flakes and cracked pepper. Toss to coat and cook in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- In a large saucepan or stockpot melt the butter then add the onion and garlic and cook until soft.
- Add the stock, chopped potato and thyme to the saucepan and stir before adding your roasted cauliflower and broccoli. Ensure all the ingredients are covered with stock and if they are not add a little water until they are. Cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or so until the potato is tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Using a stick blender, process the soup to a creamy consistency. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Before serving, gently reheat the soup and stir in the grated cheddar cheese.
- Serve the soup with slices of baguette topped with Gouda cheese melted under the grill.
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