Roasted Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

I am always on the lookout for new soups, especially in the fall/winter time.  I make soup at least once a week, sometimes more.  This is one of my favorites I’ve discovered so far this year.

Roasted cauliflower is a staple side dish in our house.  I cook it just like french fries, spread out on a baking sheet and drizzled with olive oil.  This soup takes it a few steps further, turning those lovely roasted bites into a creamy, cheesy, delicious soup.  I loved the earthy flavor of the cauliflower combined with the slight bite of sharp white cheddar.  So good!

Roasted Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

Roasted Cauliflower Cheddar Soup
(adapted from cookingclassy.com)

1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into bite size pieces
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt & pepper
3 tbsp. butter
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp. flour
1 clove garlic, minced
5-6 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. chopped parsley, plus extra to garnish
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
Finely chopped red pepper or green onions for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place cauliflower on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and toss to evenly coat, then spread out evenly on the pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake 20 – 25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Roasting cauliflower. I do this all the time as a side dish.

In a soup pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 4 – 5 minutes. Add in flour and cook, stirring constantly 1-2 minutes, adding in garlic during last 30 seconds of cooking. While whisking, slowly pour in chicken broth and cream. Add in parsley, thyme, bay leaf, a pinch of salt & pepper, and roasted cauliflower.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently and allow to cook until thickened slightly. Using a stick blender (my tool of choice here), or a blender or potato masher, puree part or all of soup.  I like to leave a few chunks for texture but if you like it smooth, go for it.  Remove from heat and stir in sharp white cheddar and parmesan cheese. Garnish with finely chopped red pepper and/or parsley, if desired.  Serves 4 as a main dish.

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Steak with Shiitake Sherry Sauce

We don’t eat much red meat these days, so when we have steak it’s a real treat!  I scored some beautiful shiitake mushrooms at farmer’s market this weekend and they paired perfectly with my little hunk of cow. I’ve also made this sauce to spoon over pork chops or chicken.  But the steak was mmmm…plate-licking good.

With the opening of farmer’s market this weekend I had LOTS of veggies on hand so we made this a low carb affair with lightly roasted asparagus and cauliflower “fries”.  Yum!

Steak with Shiitake Sherry Sauce

Steak with Shiitake Sherry Sauce

2 steaks (whatever kind you like best will work fine)
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, halved or sliced
1/4 cup sherry
1 tbsp. butter, cut into pieces

Make sure steaks are dry so you get a good sear.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper and set aside.  Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add olive oil and let it get hot (if you flick a few drops of water in the pan it should sizzle if it’s ready).  For medium-rare, cook steaks 3-4 minutes per side (or to the doneness you prefer).  Remove from pan and let them rest while make the sauce.

Add mushrooms and sherry to the pan.  Sauté 2-3 minutes.  Add a few grinds of pepper.  Remove pan from heat and whisk in the butter.  Slice steaks across the grain and spoon sauce and mushrooms over the top.

Roasted Cauliflower “Fries”

If you can’t eat french fries every night, the least you can do is cook your other veggies up in a way you can pretend they are fries.  This is my favorite way to cook cauliflower (closely followed by my Cheesy Cauliflower Bake but this one is a LOT healthier).  It turns out tender but with a little crunchiness on the edges.  No mushy veggies here.  Even your pickiest vegetable haters will go for this one.

Roasted Cauliflower “Fries”

Roasted Cauliflower “Fries”

1 head cauliflower
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. olive oil

*All of the above measurements are completely open to interpretation.  I sprinkle, I pinch, I drizzle.  But some people like to measure so I guessed at how much I put on there.  Feel free to adjust to your tastes.

Preheat the oven to 400˚.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Break up or chop cauliflower into bite sized pieces and spread on the cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with spices.  Drizzle with oil.  Toss around a bit with your fingers to coat all of the cauliflower.

Raw cauliflower tossed with spices and a bit of oil.

Bake for 30 minutes until cauliflower is tender and starting to brown on the edges.  I usually stir around once or twice in there during the cooking time.

Roasted cauliflower, fresh out of the oven.