Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms

For not a currently robust website, this is the second cauliflower soup recipe! This was tweaked from cooking.nytimes. This soup serves a as hearty meal by itself, with nutrient-rich cauliflower from the brassica family, complex carbohydrates from the potato, and protein-rich mushrooms; it hits all the macronutrient groups. Rich in spices, you get antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits as well. A sliced pear “pares” well with the soup, adds additional fiber, and is a great alternative to bread.

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower (florets cut into 2-inch pieces)

2 medium white onions, halved and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

Sea salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons salted butter, or EVOO

6 garlic cloves, crushed

1 large yellow potato (about 14 ounces), skin on, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 quart vegetable or chicken stock

1/2 pound shitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

splash of EVOO

splash of Tamari soy sauce

splash of balsamic vinegar, to finish

Serve with toasted sourdough and/or slices of ripe pear.

Directions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the chopped cauliflower and onions on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together, then arrange in an even layer.

Roast for 15 minutes then remove from the oven. Increase the temperature to 475. Push the partially roasted cauliflower over to one side to make room for the mushrooms. To the mushrooms add a splash of EVOO and soy sauce. Return to the 475 oven, insuring the sheet pan is located on the upper third of the oven. Roast until the cauliflower and mushrooms are browned and cooked through but still have some bite, roasting another 15-20 minutes.

While roasting the cauliflower, onions, and mushrooms, separately melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the potato and turmeric, add the stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook until the potato is soft, about 10 minutes.

When the cauliflower and onions are done, add to the soup. Return the soup to a simmer and cook until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Use a traditional blender or an immersion blender until smooth (prefer blender). Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Reserve the mushrooms for garnish. Add a splash of balsamic and soy sauce to taste.