Creamy Cauliflower Soup

We wanted a cauliflower soup with a creamy texture but without adding any cream, which tends to dull the cauliflower's delicate flavor. Instead, we relied on the cauliflower's low insoluble fiber content to produce a velvety-smooth puree. To ensure that the cauliflower flavor remained at the forefront, we cooked the cauliflower in water instead of broth, skipped the spice rack entirely, and bolstered the soup with sautéed onion and leek. We added the cauliflower to the simmering water in two stages so that we got the grassy flavor of just-cooked cauliflower and the sweeter, nuttier flavor of longer-cooked cauliflower. Finally, we browned florets in butter and used both as a flavorful garnish. White wine vinegar may be substituted for the sherry vinegar. Be sure to thoroughly trim the cauliflower's core of green leaves and leaf stems, which can be fibrous and can contribute to a grainy texture in the soup.

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower (2 pounds)

• 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

• 1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar

• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Directions

1. Pull off outer leaves of cauliflower and trim stem. Using paring knife, cut around core to remove; thinly slice core and reserve. Cut heaping 1 cup of 1/2-inch florets from head of cauliflower; set aside. Cut remaining cauliflower crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

2. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leek, onion, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring often, until leek and onion are softened but not browned, about 7 minutes.

3. Add 4 1/2 cups water, sliced core, and half of sliced cauliflower. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add remaining sliced cauliflower and simmer until cauliflower is tender and crumbles easily, 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add reserved florets and cook, stirring often, until florets are golden brown and butter is browned and has nutty aroma, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and use slotted spoon to transfer florets to small bowl. Toss florets with vinegar and season with salt to taste. Pour browned butter in skillet into separate bowl and reserve for garnishing.

5. Process soup in blender until smooth, about 45 seconds. Return pureed soup to clean pot, bring to brief simmer over medium heat, and adjust consistency with remaining water as needed (soup should have thick, velvety texture but should be thin enough to settle with flat surface after being stirred). Season with salt to taste. Serve, garnishing individual bowls with browned florets, drizzle of browned butter, chives, and pepper.