Smoked Cheese & Cauliflower Soup
December 2020
This is a quick and simple soup that uses up ends of cheese left over in the fridge. We love the flavour of smoked cheddar, but any cheese that melts will work, such as goats or blue cheese.
We like to add roasted cauliflower leaves on top for texture. You can use broccoli instead of cauliflower.
To be a little decadent, try adding a swirl of truffle oil to the soup before serving.
Ingredients - Serves 4
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, ghee, butter or chicken fat
2 medium leeks (250g/9oz after trimming), roughly chopped
2 sprigs of thyme
600g (1lb 5oz) cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 litre (1¾ pints) warm vegetable stock, chicken stock or water
100ml (3 1/2 fl oz) double cream
125g (4 ¼ oz) smoked cheese, finely grated
2 tablespoons Dijon or 1 tablespoon English mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive or truffle oil, to serve
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the leeks and thyme and sauté for 10 minutes or until soft. Add the cauliflower, stock or water, mustard and bring to the boil. Continue to boil gently for a few minutes or until the cauliflower is tender. Remove the thyme sprigs and purée the soup with a stick-blender or liquidizer until smooth, taking care the hot soup doesn’t splash you.Add the cream and cheese and stir over a low heat until the cheese has melted. Season to taste. Keep the soup warm while you prepare the cauli crisps.
When you are ready to serve, ladle the soup into warm bowls and scatter over the cauli crisps. Swirl over a little olive or truffle oil and add a twist of black pepper just before serving.
Cauli Crisps
Preheat the oven to 220° C/200 ° C fan/425° F/gas mark 7. Rub a little olive oil and seasoning into the cauliflower leaves and stems and spread them out on a baking tray. Roast for 4 to 6 minutes or until the leaves become lightly browned and crisp. Serve warm on their own or use to top the Smoked Cheese soup.
This recipe is from ‘The Caldesi Low-Carb Christmas’ which has over 40 low-carb and gluten free winter and celebration recipes. Buy it here.
Learn more great recipes by joining us on one of our low carb cookery courses. See HERE for a list of upcoming dates.
