Here's a real winner my friend Betsy found on the New York Times site. Cauliflower by itself can be rather bland, but combined with all this roasted garlic the vegetable gets elevated to healthy greatness. Enjoy!
Credit goes to: Ali Slagle (New York Times) Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 2½ pounds cauliflower (1 very large head), cut into 1-inch florets, leaves reserved
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- Salt and pepper
- 1 head garlic
Preparation:
Step 1: Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan,
toss the cauliflower florets and leaves with the olive oil and season
generously with salt and pepper. Cut off the top ¼ inch of the head of garlic
to expose the top of the cloves, then place on a piece of foil, cut side up.
Sprinkle exposed cloves with salt, then drizzle lightly with oil. Wrap the
garlic in the foil and place on the sheet pan. Roast until the cauliflower is
browned and tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
Step 2: Meanwhile, in a large pot or Dutch oven, bring
6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer over medium. Reserve about 1
cup cauliflower for the topping, then add the rest to the pot, including any
browned bits on the sheet pan. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their
skins into the pot. Cover and simmer until the cauliflower is very soft, 7 to
10 minutes.
Step 3: Off the heat, using an immersion blender (or
working in batches in a traditional blender), purée the soup until smooth. If
thick, add water to taste. If thin, simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes to
reduce slightly. (The soup will also thicken as it cools.) Season to taste with
salt.
Step 4: Serve the soup topped with the reserved roasted
cauliflower, a drizzle of olive oil and more black pepper.