at my hungriest

September 29 2009 by Kristin at The Kitchen Sink in Uncategorized » 19 comments

Late Saturday morning, after a jog, some fall cleaning and a baking project (more on that soon), I was famished, all of the sudden. Not a gentle stomach rumble, but a nearly blinding state of hunger. Add to this the fact that it was a gray morning, all low clouds and quiet, and there was only one thing that would satisfy me: soup.

So I got to rummaging around the fridge and pantry and, before long, I had amassed a curious assortment: a head of cauliflower, fringed with it’s green leafy bonnet; a quart of chicken stock; a few sprigs of thyme and a single round of pancetta. This, I realized, could actually work, so I heated the oven and warmed a big soup pot.

Into the hot oven went a baking sheet full of olive oil-slicked cauliflower florets, a couple whole cloves of garlic and a handful of thyme sprigs. Into the warmed pot went that pancetta round, diced into tiny squares. Once the pancetta was crisp, I swapped it out for some minced shallots, garlic and thyme. Now, the aromas were doing nothing good for my hunger at this point, so I had no choice but to sneak a floret from the oven, carmelized in spots and piping hot. Nursing my burnt tongue, I tipped the stock into the soup pot.

When the cauliflower was perfectly roasted, it took a quick simmer in the broth. Then, the whole thing got blended into a rustic puree. And, then—then—it was finally lunch time. Well, actually, I took the time to add a dollop of sour cream and a scattering of those pancetta bits before dipping a spoon into my bowl. Even at my hungriest, I still have the good sense not to forget the pancetta.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Serves 3 to 4

1 head of cauliflower, trimmed and chopped into florets
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea or kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
several thyme sprigs, whole, plus 2 teaspoons minced thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled, plus 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ounce pancetta, finely diced
1/2 cup minced shallot
1 quart chicken stock
sour cream, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On the lined baking sheet, toss the florets with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the whole thyme sprigs and garlic cloves to the pan. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the florets are tender and browned in spots. Discard the thyme sprigs.

While the cauliflower roasts, heat a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta to the warmed pot and cook until the pancetta is crisp. Using a splotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the pot and reserve. In the pancetta drippings, saute the minced shallot, garlic and thyme leaves for several minutes, until the shallot has softened. Add the stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.

Add the roasted cauliflower and garlic to the stock and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the soup from heat and, in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream (if desired) and the reserved pancetta.

19 comments so far. »
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Whitney says on September 29 2009 at 7:02 pm:

Man is it ever soup weather. Nice job experimenting!
Lindsay says on September 29 2009 at 7:45 pm:

i looove your blog! and the soup looks delicious.
Devon says on September 29 2009 at 7:54 pm:

I can’t believe you held out that long, but it looks like to soup was worth it.
Sarah @ This Heavenly Life says on September 29 2009 at 8:24 pm:

What a wonderful soup idea! I just wanted to say how much I enjoy your beautiful blog…the photos and writing are wonderful, and the recipes are fantastic too. So inspiring. And mouthwatering Good work!
Half Assed Kitchen says on September 29 2009 at 8:29 pm:

Cauliflower soup. That’s kind of brilliant.
joanser says on September 30 2009 at 3:41 am:

MMMM HMMM GOO-OOD!!!!!
Liz Brooks says on September 30 2009 at 5:51 am:

This sounds so rich and hearty, yum!
nik says on September 30 2009 at 5:53 am:

Looks delish. I love the descriptions of everything coming out of the fridge. Feels like what runs through my mind when pulling together a new recipe. I am enjoying the fall weather this year. Cleveland usually gets hit right from Summer to Winter (80 degrees to 19…..) We are actually enjoying some 50’s and 60’s! Yay! Hope its good there in Chicago.
Eliana says on September 30 2009 at 9:01 am:

This soup looks amazing!!! And I wouldn’t have forgotten to top it with pancetta either.
Barbara says on September 30 2009 at 9:55 am:

Really an unusual soup! Perfect with pancetta on top. I’m a big believer in roasting veggies. The flavor is so much better.
Mimi says on September 30 2009 at 9:57 am:

Can’t wait to start making soups and your’s looks delicious. Our fall weather is just now starting, we had temperatures in in the 70’s yesterday. I actually needed a sweatshirt in the evening. Soups on!
Mimi
Chiara says on October 02 2009 at 6:48 am:

Beautiful pictures and a very intriguing recipe. I’ve learned to like cauliflower only recently and now I can’t seem to stop eating it. I’ll have to try this!
tara says on October 02 2009 at 9:30 am:

So let me get this straight. You made this fantastic-sounding soup and then put pancetta on top? You’re my hero.
Jessica says on October 02 2009 at 11:34 am:

Have you thought about entering something like this in Brighter Planet’s Mastering the Art of Sustainable Cooking Contest? There’s a whole category devoted to cooking with leftovers and found ingredients, and I think this type of entry is exactly what they’re looking for…
Check it out here: http://blog.brighterplanet.com/sustainable-cooking/
Marianne says on October 03 2009 at 12:56 pm:

That sounds delicious. A perfect fall or winter soup. So simple too. I think I need to buy some cauliflower asap.
Dawn in CA says on October 05 2009 at 11:19 am:

I have to admit, I probably would have caved and eaten the crispy pancetta before the soup was ever done. Brava to you for having the fortitude to hold off! The end result looks completely worth the wait.
Horia says on October 05 2009 at 12:38 pm:

Looks amazing in pictures. I love a good soup when it’s this cold outside.
BigGirlPhoebz says on October 07 2009 at 9:55 pm:

This looks so so good. I love topping creamy soups with crispy smokey pancetta. A favorite is this roasted tomato soup. But I’ve never tried cauliflower, and I certainly will right away!
JennyMooMeow says on October 08 2009 at 2:51 pm:

Sounds great! I recently roasted some cauliflower like this as a side dish to dinner, sprinkled a bit of parmesan on top for a salty crust. Great stuff.