Creamy Cauliflower Soup Sans Cream (dorie Greenspan)

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 large onions, coarsely chopped, vidalia, spanish, or yellow (about 3/4 pound)
• 2 garlic cloves, split, germ removed, and thinly sliced
• 3 celery, stalks trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 thyme, sprigs leaves only
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 head cauliflower, leaves removed, broken into florets (discard the tough core)
• 6 cups vegetable broth or 6 cups chicken broth

Recipe

• 1 put the olive oil and butter in a large dutch oven or soup pot and warm over low heat. when the butter is melted, add the onions, garlic, celery, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper. stir until all the ingredients glisten with oil and butter, then cover the pot and cook slowly, stirring often, for 20 minutes.
• 2 toss the cauliflower into the pot and pour in the broth. bring to a boil, reduce the heat so that the broth simmers gently, and cook, uncovered, for another 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very soft.
• 3 puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor; or use an immersion blender. this soup is best when it is very smooth, so if you think it needs it, push it through a strainer. (if you’ve used a standard blender, this shouldn’t be necessary.) taste for salt and pepper. serve plain or garnished with the topping of your choice.