Cauliflower And Extra Old Soup

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 head cauliflower, separated into florets
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (leaves only)
• 5 cups vegetable stock or 5 cups chicken stock (homemade or low sodium)
• 1 cup 10% cream or 1 cup carnation 2% evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 cups of extra old cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper

Recipe

• 1 in large pot over medium heat, sauté onion, celery and carrot in olive oil until onion is translucent.
• 2 add cauliflower and thyme to pot and pour in the stock.
• 3 cover and bring to boil.
• 4 reduce heat to medium and cook until cauliflower is tender.
• 5 remove pot from heat.
• 6 working in batches, puree the mixture in a food processor or blender and return to the pot (i prefer it slightly chunky).
• 7 reduce heat to low and whisk in the cream, dry mustard, dijon and cheddar.
• 8 heat thoroughly but do not let the soup boil.
• 9 if you find the soup a bit thick at this point, add a little stock or water.
• 10 add salt (if necessary) and pepper.
• 11 serve.
• 12 a pleasant variation: substitute 1 cup of thinly sliced leeks for the onion and 1 1/2 cups of crumbled stilton for the cheddar; add 3 tablespoons of tawny port and garnish with freshly chopped chives.