Warm and Comforting, Soup!
We’re having likely, our last little bout of cool weather, I mean, it actually sprinkled a bit of rain here today. It’s mid April, so I assume we can’t count on too many more cool days. So I’m going to seize this day and make some creamy, warm and delicious Cauliflower Soup topped with Crispy Brussels Sprout Chips.
Do you know that I never realized until just now that Brussels Sprouts is the correct name, not Brussel Sprouts! Anyway, I love them no matter how they’re spelled.
Combining Two Favorites Into One Dish, Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Fried Brussels Sprouts and Capers
There’s a little place in Glendale we go for dinner often, when I am in town. They make a great appetizer we always like to order. Brussels sprout chips, baked crispy with salt and topped with capers. I’ve talked about my love for capers before. The little green, salty briney bites of lovelyness. They’re in the condiments section of your store. I like them in tons of recipes and this is one of them.
Recently, I had a cauliflower “bisque” at another favorite restaurant, so this is my take on combining the two favorites into one delightful dish. This is how I did it!
Soup’s On!
Break apart a cauliflower into pieces, or florets. In a large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the chopped onions and the garlic. Let cook until the onions are transluscent.
In a large pot, I added the cauliflower, thyme and milk. Slowly bring to a simmer, add the cooked onions and garlic mixture.
Let it all simmer for about 30 minutes, until the cauliflower is fully cooked, Carefully, process the soup in a blender. Remember to only fill about 1/3 full and start slow as heated liquids may expand too much and come out of the top of the blender and you could get burned. Just blend a very small amount and do it in batches, starting on the lowest speed. You can speed up slowly. Put the blended soup back on a low heat. Right before serving, add the zest of one lemon and tablespoons of the lemon juice, stir.
In a medium size sauce pan, add about 1 inch of oil oil and heat on medium high. Once the oil is hot, add the brussel sprout leaves. You can test the oil by seeing if one leaf is sizzling and frying. If not, the oil isn’t hot enough. Cook the leaves, a few at a time, then drain the leaves on a paper towel. Then, add the capers to fry, remove and let them drain with the leaves.
To serve, ladle into bowls, top with a sprinkling of the fried brussels sprout leaves and some of the capers.
Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Brussels Sprout Chips
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 medium cauliflower broken into florets
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- zest of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 6 cups whole milk
- salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
For the Brussels Sprouts
- 8-10 brussels sprouts, separated into individual leaves
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
- olive oil
- kosher salt
Instructions
For the Soup
- Break apart a cauliflower into pieces, or florets.
- In a large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the chopped onions and the garlic.
- Let cook until the onions are translucent.
- In a large pot, add the cauliflower, thyme, and milk.
- Slowly bring to a simmer, add the cooked onions and garlic mixture.
- Let it all simmer for about 30 minutes, until the cauliflower is fully cooked.
- Remove thyme stems.
- Carefully, process the soup in a blender.
- Blend a very small amounts and do it in batches, starting on the lowest speed. You can slowly increase speed. Put the blended soup back on a low heat.
- Right before serving, add the lemon zest and lemon juice, stir.
For the Brussels Sprouts
- In a medium size sauce pan, add about 1 inch of oil oil and heat on medium high.
- Once the oil is hot, add the Brussels sprout leaves. You can test the oil by seeing if one leaf is sizzling and frying. If not, the oil isn't hot enough.
- Cook the leaves, a few at a time, then drain the leaves on a paper towel.
- Then, add the capers to fry, remove and let them drain with the leaves.
- To serve, ladle into bowls, top with a sprinkling of the fried Brussels sprout leaves and some of the capers.
- Enjoy!
- Karen Harris https://www.bittersaltysoursweet.com
