My husband has a pretty definitive opinion on cauliflower: it is fine as a side, preferably covered in a nice cheese sauce; but he does not care for cauliflower pizza, or tabouli, or breadsticks, or Buffalo style – all of which you will note from the links attached I have served him at least once. Do not even get him started on the cauliflower risotto.
He did not mind this soup, though I think he would have preferred it to be served at lunch. Soups are not high on his list of “ooh, let’s have this for dinner tonight!”
Too bad, too, because this really is a very nice soup, and the fact that it all comes together in the slow cooker means it is pretty simple to toss together, too.
The basic recipe is from 365 Slow Cooker Suppers by Stephanie O’Dea; though I, of course, made a few changes to suit our tastes and my pantry.
INGREDIENTS
Soup:
•2 large baking potatoes
•1 small head cauliflower
•1/4 cup sliced scallions (white and light green bits only)
•1-3/4 cup chicken broth
•1 cup milk
•1 tbsp Sherry Peppers Sauce*
•1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt
•1/2 tsp black pepper
•1/4 tsp dried thyme
•1/2 to 3/4 cup sour cream
•1 tsp dried chives
•1 cup milk
Toppings:
•Chopped fresh parsley
•Shredded Cheddar cheese
•Crumbled cooked bacon
•Chopped fresh chives
•Sherry vinegar (or cider vinegar)
*No Sherry Peppers Sauce? No Problem! Simply add a bit more good sherry and a dash or three of your fave hot sauce, to taste.
Dice the potatoes – I did not peel mine – then cover with cold water and set aside to rest for ten minutes or so. Rinse well.
Remove the stem and dice the cauliflower, then add to a six quart slow cooker along with the potatoes..
Pour the chicken stock and the milk over both, stir in the salt, pepper, thyme, and Sherry Peppers Sauce; then cover and cook on high for four hours, or on low for six to seven hours.
Blend with an immersion blender until as smooth as you like, then stir in the sour cream, dried chives and – if, like me, you think the soup a touch too thick – that one more cup of milk.
Heat through, then serve with your toppings of choice.
No immersion blender? No problem! Let the soup cool a bit, then add to a blender in batches and pulse until the soup is as smooth as you like.
We added a but more sour cream to each bowl, as well as a healthy grind of black pepper, and, at the end, a shot or my new favorite sherry vinegar.
Nice soup! Though, as my husband allowed, it would’ve been much better if it were a medium rare steak.