Sunday, January 12, 2014

Creamy Cauliflower Soup w/ Parmesan and Bacon

I've really been in the mood for Soups & Stews on the weekends lately.  Maybe it's inspiration from the cookbook I got for Christmas.  Maybe it's the cold temps.  Most likely it's because I can make a BIG POT that serves for both lunch and dinner!



This recipe was once again inspired by the cookbook Sunday Soup by Betty Rosbottom.  I made some definite modifications though.  Original recipe calls for Creme Fraiche and prosciutto.  In MY world those convert to sour cream and bacon :)

NOTE:  You'll need an immersion blender for this recipe!  We use ours mostly for smoothies, but they are fabulous for making soups such as this one!  Yes - you could puree the soup in batches with a food processor, but that would be much more work and generate quite a mess - in my opinion.

I was pleasantly surprised how quick and EASY this recipe was to make!  Adding the bacon at the end added the perfect amount of flavor.  While I normally shy away from anything that calls for cayenne pepper (don't like spicy), I found that using such a minimal amount added just the right touch of flavor for this soup.

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
3-4 medium leeks, chopped (use only white and light green parts and see * about leeks)
2 heads cauliflower, breaking into florets
8 cups chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 generous shakes of Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
6 generous shakes of Tastefully Simple Garlic Pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
4-5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:
Melt butter in a large, heavy pot.  Add the chopped leeks and saute, stirring until softened for about 5 minutes.  Add cauliflower florets, chicken broth and cayenne pepper.  Bring to a strong simmer, then reduce to gentle simmer and cook vegetables until tender (about 20 minutes).

Puree soup (right in the pot) using an immersion blender.  Add Seasoned Salt, Garlic Pepper, sour cream and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Blend a bit more.  Heat on low for another 5-10 minutes.  Serve with crumbled bacon and sprinkle of remaining Parmesan cheese.

I hope you enjoy!!  It makes probably 10+ bowls of soup, so perfect for a large group or ensuring you'll have leftovers for the week.

*  LEEKS:  If you've never cooked with leeks before, check out this video for instructions on how to clean them:

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