Cauliflower Cheese Soup

If you like Swiss fondue, you will enjoy this soup. It is heavier and more filling than our other soups as it has whole milk and a generous amount of cheese. The creamy, mild cauliflower and the cheese make a good pair. With fresh, crusty bread dunked into the soup, like in fondue, this can be a satisfying and comforting bowl of food.

As a variation, instead of Gruyere, add 6 ounces of very sharp cheddar for a more English soup that tastes like cauliflower cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup peeled and diced Yukon Gold potato (medium potato)
• 7 cups fresh cauliflower florets cut in 1 inch chunks
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 6 oz of grated Gruyere
• Fresh nutmeg (4-5 scrapes of the nut on a sharp grater)

Steps

1. Heat a heavy soup pot. Melt the butter and toss the potatoes in the butter with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the pot and cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add the cauliflower and the rest of the salt and pepper. Stir everything well. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes till the cauliflower is tender and starts browning a little. Make sure you check in between and stir.
3. Transfer the cauliflower and potato mixture to a blender or food processor. Add some water, if needed. Puree till smooth.
4. Put the mixture back into the soup pot. Whisk in the water and milk slowly. If you don’t need all that liquid, keep the rest aside in case you need to thin the soup later.
5. Bring the soup to a simmer and keep it simmering for about 10 minutes. Then turn the heat to low and whisk in the cheese a little bit at a time, about 2 ounces at a time. Add the nutmeg.
6. Bring the soup back to a simmer, whisking every now and then. If it gets too thick, add some milk (not water). Simmer for a couple of minutes. Serve hot with chunks of fresh, crusty bread.

Serves 6. Preparation and cooking time: 50 minutes.