Cream of Cauliflower Soup

Flavor, flavor, flavor - that's the first thing that comes to mind when I think about this soup.  Then I think about how I can hide it in the fridge so I won't have to share it with anyone.  Shame on me.

Let's begin by sauteing cauliflower, onions, garlic, and a little kosher salt in extra virgin olive oil until the cauliflower begins to soften and everything caramelizes a bit.  This is going to add a lot of flavor to the soup.  

Yes - look at those yummy caramelized veggies, and even better, the all that yummy golden brown goodness stuck to the pan (technical term: 'fond').  Oh, I wish you could smell my house right now.  

Tip:  keep a little water or chicken stock close by so you can add a splash or two to prevent burned spots if needed.

Time to get all that yummy brown goodness (fond) off the pan and into the soup.  Do that by 'deglazing' the pan with chicken stock.  You can use store bought stock, but homemade is so much better.  The difference is remarkable.

You have made homemade chicken stock, haven't you?  If you haven't, it's really, really easy.  CLICK HERE to see my simple step-by-step tutorial.  I'm telling you, the stuff is liquid gold! 

Okay, pour the chicken stock into the pan and use a wooden spoon to loosen the fond.  It will basically dissolve into the stock.  Note the color of the chicken stock at this point.

And here's the color of the stock just a couple of minutes later.  See how much darker it is?   You can practically taste all the flavor already, can't you?  

Cover the pan and simmer gently  for about 30 minutes.  

After 30 minutes turn off the heat and carefully ladle all the liquids and solids into a blender.

I'm sharing this photo just so you can see how well the deglazing process dissolved the layer of fond on the bottom of the pan.  It always amazes me.

Before we blend the soup, we need to add the last few ingredients - ground black pepper, heavy cream, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.  Are you drooling yet?

Ready?  Go!

But don't go too fast.  Blend slowly until the soup reaches the consistency you like.  I like it to be smooth, but still maintain a little texture.  

I serve with some homemade croutons, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a sprinkle of freshly chopped chives.  This soup is so incredibly good.  I hope you'll give it a try soon. 

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• vitamix https://amzn.to/3ck1qQ1

• braiser https://amzn.to/2SRH0WM

• my favorite nakiri knife https://amzn.to/2STJWSH

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Cream of Cauliflower Soup

makes 4-6 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

• 1 large yellow onion, diced

• 6 whole cloves of garlic, peeled

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 cups chicken stock (try my homemade)

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 1/4 - 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Garnish:

• croutons (try my delicious homemade croutons)

• extra virgin olive oil

• freshly chopped chives

Directions

1. In a 5-quart heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, saute onions, garlic, cauliflower, and salt in olive oil, stirring often, until caramelized. This should take about 15 minutes.

2. Add chicken stock and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

3. Lower heat, cover pan, and simmer gently for about 30 minutes.

4. Transfer everything from the pan into a blender jar.

5. Add cheese, cream, and pepper; blend on low until desired consistency is reached.

6. Pour into serving bowls and garnish with croutons, olive oil, and chives.

Rosemary and Garlic Chicken Thighs

Alrighty, now that Easter is over, let's bake some chicken.  But not just any chicken, oh no.  We're going to bake the most juicy, flavorful, garlic and herb infused chicken.  It's so good, I made it twice in one week.

Here's how it's done:

We're going to make a flavorful marinade from a mix of herbs and spices.  Clockwise from the top:  dry mustard powder, ground dried sage, granulated garlic, paprika, granulated onion, dried thyme, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.  We'll also need freshly squeezed lemon juice, fresh rosemary, and extra virgin olive oil.

We'll also need some freshly squeezed lemon juice, fresh rosemary, and extra virgin olive oil.

Chop the rosemary.  One 4 to 5-inch sprig equals about 1 tablespoon of chopped rosemary.

Combine all the ingredients together well.  This flat whisk is the perfect tool for the job.

Now you need some chicken thighs or drumsticks (chicken breasts aren't the best option for this recipe).  Make sure to pat them dry so the flavorful marinade will stick.

Rub each of the chicken pieces in the marinade, coating the pieces on all sides.

Then pop them into a large zip-top bag.  Seal the bag and store it in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, but longer is better.  I like to shoot for 8 hours or overnight.

Important:  Remove chicken from fridge about an hour before you put it in the oven so it can come to room temperature - this will ensure it bakes evenly.

I like to roast carrots and potatoes along with the chicken so about 20 minutes before I put the chicken in the oven, I preheat my oven and prep my veggies by tossing them with a little olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper.  

The chicken goes into a large roasting pan, marinade and all.  Leave plenty of room for the vegetables. 

Add the potatoes.  I used red potatoes - they'll have a lovely creamy texture when they're done.

Don't forget the carrots.  Here I used petite baby carrots, but large carrots can be used as long as they're cut into small pieces.  Now pop the entire pan, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 1 hour.  Remove pan from oven and baste chicken with pan drippings just before serving.

And that's all there is to it.  Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• citrus squeezer https://amzn.to/2SOPQEQ

• flat whisk https://amzn.to/3bmaOkJ

• my favorite nakiri knife https://amzn.to/2YNt2c6

• large roasting pan https://amzn.to/3duHNor

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Rosemary and Garlic Chicken Thighs

makes 6 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 chicken bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

• 1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

• 1 pound baby carrots

• extra virgin olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

Rub:

• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary

• 1 tablespoon dry English mustard powder

• 2 teaspoons paprika

• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic

• 2 teaspoons granulated onion

• 2 teaspoons dried thyme

• 2 teaspoons dried ground sage

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

1. Prep potatoes and carrots by drizzling with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkling with kosher salt and pepper; toss well to coat.

2. sprinkle both sides of chicken lightly with kosher salt and pepper; set aside while you make the rub..

3. Prepare the rub by whisking ingredients together.

4. Slather marinade all over chicken thighs and place in a large zip-top bag; chill for at least 4 hours (or overnight).

5. One hour before roasting, remove chicken from refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.

6. Thirty minutes before roasting, preheat oven to 425F and arrange chicken in large roasting pan (getting as much of the rub in the pan with the chicken); place the potatoes and carrots around the chicken pieces.

7. Roast on the center rack in the oven, uncovered, for 1 hour.

8. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes, then drizzle pan juices over chicken before serving.