- 4
Ingredients
- 2 strips bacon, halved on the bias
- 1/2 cup minced shallots
- 1/4 cup diced celery
- 6 cups cauliflower florets, divided (about 1 head)
- 1 cup peeled and diced russet potato
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
- salt and cayenne pepper to taste
- Crumbled blue cheese
Preparation
Step 1
Cook bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Sweat shallots and celery in bacon drippings until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in 5 1/2 cups cauliflower and potato. Add broth, milk, bay leaf, parsley, and thyme. Bring soup to a simmer; cook until cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, blanch remaining 1/2 cup cauliflower florets in boiling salted water just until crisp-tender, 5 minutes. Immediately shock in ice water; set aside.
Strain the soup, discarding bay leaf, parsley, and thyme.
Puree strained vegetables in batches in a blender with a small portion of the cooking liquid until smooth. Return pureed cauliflower to pot along with strained liquid over low heat; stir in 2 oz. blue cheese until melted. Season soup with salt and cayenne.
Garnish each serving of soup with a few cauliflower florets, a bacon strip, and blue cheese crumbles.