Orange Cauliflower Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head orange cauliflower
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
• 1 small onion, halved and sliced thin
• Salt and pepper
• 4 1/2 – 5 cups water

Directions:

Pull off outer leaves of cauliflower and trim stem.  Using a flexible knife, cut around core to remove;  remove the core and slice it thinly and set aside.  Cut the rest of the head of cauliflower in to florets; set aside. Take 1/2 of the florets and cut into slices.  Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in pot over medium-low heat.  Add the leek, onion, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.  Cook, stirring frequently, until leek and onion are softened.

This should take about 5 – 7 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high.  Add 4 1/2 cups of water, the sliced core, and 1/2 of the sliced cauliflower; and bring to a boil and then down to a simmer.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Add remaining sliced cauliflower, return to simmer, and continue to cook until cauliflower is tender and crumbles easily, 15 to 20 minutes longer.

While soup simmers, melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the reserved florets

and cook, stirring frequently, until florets are golden brown (turn the cauliflower florets side down) and butter is browned – about 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and use slotted spoon to transfer florets to small bowl.  Pour browned butter in skillet into small bowl and reserve for garnishing.  Process soup, in shifts, in a blender until smooth, about 45 seconds.  Do not blend too much.  Keep a little coarseness to the cauliflower.  Rinse out pan.  Return the pureed soup to pan and simmer over medium heat, adjusting consistency with remaining water if needed and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve, garnishing individual bowls with the browned florets and drizzle of browned butter.

Enjoy!