Foodie, Formerly Fat

This soup is delicious but not what I would call “light”. The recipe reads pretty healthy until you hit the part where you’re putting in nearly 1/2 pound of cheese! But, it’s a great way to get kids started on veggies when their palates are telling them that anything bitter is a poison they need to stay away from. That’s right, did you know that’s why children don’t like vegetables?

I’ve read cookbooks designed to help parents get their kids to eat vegetables, and most of it involves hiding the vegetables so deep in a blueberry muffin by using spinach powder that the kid never knows there were vegetables there at all. I suppose that’s one approach, but not one I like very much. I’d rather let my kids know they are eating vegetables but prepare them in a way that makes them attractive to a child’s palate.

My daughter loves my broccoli soup because it’s creamy and a little salty and delicious. She likes my spinach quiche because it’s cheesy and eggy and doesn’t taste like a bowl of spinach. But she knows it’s spinach and broccoli that she’s eating so she’s not developing idea that vegetables are gross. I prefer this approach, even though it does result in them turning up their noses at some things that the adults love.

This cauliflower soup is one of these intersections of vegetable and yumminess for the kids. The cheesy creamy goodness gets them familiar with the underlying taste of the cauliflower so as they get older they’re familiar with the flavor. And let’s face it, I love it too! (Tonight we’re having this with roast beef sandwiches and it’s going to be good!)

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 large head cauliflower, chopped
2 grinds white pepper
3.5 cups stock of your choice (vegetable or chicken)
4 tbsp butter
6 tbsp flour
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
7 oz Kerrygold brand Dubliner cheese, shredded

In a heavy bottomed soup pot over medium heat sweat the minced shallot in the olive oil. When it becomes translucent add in the chopped up cauliflower.

Saute the cauliflower for 2-3 minutes and then pour in the stock. Bring it to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and put on the lid. Simmer until the cauliflower is soft and won’t provide resistance to a fork piercing it.

In another saucepan melt the butter over medium heat and when it’s melted add in the flour and whisk it to combine. Allow the flour and butter combination (roux) to bubble and froth for 2 minutes. In a measuring cup heat up the milk in the microwave. Add the hot milk into the roux all at once and whisk to minimize any lumps forming. Mix in approximately 2-3 ladles of broth from the soup pot to the roux while continuing to whisk. Add in the cheese and stir until the cheese is melted.

Using an immersion blender blend the cauliflower and stock mixture until smooth (it will be very thin). Add the roux and cheese mixture to the soup and blend again until smooth.

Serves 4 as a first course or 2 as a meal (with a bit leftover).