Don't tell anyone what soup you are serving until after the first spoonful because, sad to say, cauliflower just gets a bad rap. But this soup is simple to make and with cauliflower's smooth flavor balanced with the heat and smokiness of the roasted chiles and the tangy goodness of the crispy goat cheese taquitos you will thrill those who might normally turn up their noses at the thought of the once humble Cauliflower.
Serves Four to Six
1 pound cauliflower cut into florets
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 ½ cups diced onion
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
5 cups chicken stock
½ cup cream
2 poblano chiles, fire-roasted, peeled, and diced, or 1 cup canned roasted green chiles, diced
Goat Cheese Taquitos, recipe follows additional diced green chiles and cilantro sprigs, for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 360 degrees. Put the cauliflower into a baking dish, toss with the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and with a knife make a few slits in the foil. Put the baking dish in the oven and roast until the cauliflower is soft and slightly golden. Reserve.
2. Melt the butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the reserved cauliflower, stock, cream, and chiles and simmer for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is very soft.
3. Transfer the cauliflower mixture to a food processor of blender and process until pureed. Place soup back into saucepan, bring back to a simmer and serve into soup bowls. Top each bowl with 2 or 3 taquitos, a few pieces of roasted green chile and a sprinkling of cilantro.
Goat Cheese Taquitos
12 Tortilla chips, homemade of purchased
4 ounces fresh goat cheese
- Preheat the broiler
- Spread each tortilla chip with some of the goat cheese and arrange on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler and cook until the cheese begins to bubble and turn golden brown. Serve immediately.
