When I came across this soup recipe, I knew right away it was a must-try. Although I have made a cauliflower soup before (week 4), this recipe was very different and called for a completely different set of ingredients. And it was super fun to make, kind of like a little science experiment.
The first step was to make the chive oil the night before. I blanched the chives for 10 seconds and then squeezed the chives dry. I coarsely chopped the chives and blended them with 3/4 cup olive oil. The next part got a little messy, but was fun. I poured the oil through a coffee filter into a glass bowl. This took a while to strain, and eventually I realized I needed to puree the oil longer, so I had to start all over. Finally, I was able to place and secure the coffee filter so that the oil had enough space to drain through and make it in the bowl. I let the oil drain in the refrigerator over night. By the next day, the filter had collected the pulp from the chives but also let a good amount of beautifully colored chive-infused olive oil through to the bowl. The recipe indicated that this step could be done a week in advance but should be brought to room temperature before using.
 |
| Chive-infused olive oil |
For the crostini, I used rye bread. The recipe called for Finnish rye bread or pumpernickel bread. I could only find regular Rye at trader Joe's and Whole Foods, so I went with that. I brushed
bread slices with
olive oil and baked at 400 degrees bake until crisp,
about 12 minutes. This was also done the night before. I cut the bread in long strips and stored in a tupperware overnight.
To prepare the soup, I first baked the whole head of cauliflower in the oven at 350 degrees with melted butter and salt. I added a 1/2 cup water to dish and baked uncovered until a knife inserted into the core
meets no resistance, about 1 1/2 hours. I let it cool a bit and then chopped it coarsely.
In a saucepan, I melted 2 tablespoons butter and sauteed onion until translucent. I added the cauliflower and 4 cups water and simmered until
cauliflower was very soft, about 10 minutes. I then pureed with my hand blender. I added salt to taste and cream (as always, I used low fat).
I served the soup in a small bowl and drizzled with chive infused oil and a Rye crostini. Overall, the soup was good, but not as savory and flavorful as I had imagined or as the previous cauliflower soup. It was a beautiful presentation and, despite the recipe reviews ---that I only read after trying the recipe for myself--- I found that the oil did add a unique flavor and added even more to my bowl. The soup was even more enjoyable when eaten with the crostini.This would make a nice starter since it is not too filling. Also, at the low cost of the ingredients, it would be a beautiful and affordable addition to a nice meal
Ingredients:
2 1-ounce bunches chives | 2 bunches @ $1.00 = $2.00 | Farmer's market
Kosher salt | from home
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil | from home
4 slices rye bread | $5.29 | Whole foods
1 large head of cauliflower (about 2 pounds) | $2.00 | Farmer's market
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, divided | from home
Kosher salt | from home
1 large onion, minced | from home
1/4 cup half & half (non-fat) | $2.49 | Trader Joe's
Prep time: 10 minutes (24 hours if making chive oil)
Cook time: 1 hour 45 min
Servings: 8
Taste: 4 stars
Prep: medium
Cost: $11.78 ($1.47 per serving)
