Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Cauliflower Parsnip Soup with Garlic Parmesan Crostini



It's possible that my favorite thing to cook is soup. It's so easy, just throw a bunch of ingredients in a pot and boil.  And you're pretty much guaranteed to have lots of tasty leftovers for easy lunches or dinners later in the week. I always make extra large batches so that I can pop some single serve tupperware in the freezer and enjoy them a few weeks down the road- that way you don't get tired of eating the same thing every day in one week! This is a nice light soup recipe so it's still a great option to serve in the summer. 


As a side note, I've made this soup with different proportions (less onion, no parsnip, etc) and it still tastes great. So consider the recipe pretty forgiving. Also, if you don't feel like making the crostini then you can serve it with a half sandwich. I had a leftover bowl for lunch today with a half sandwich of a few slices of dubliner cheddar cheese, thin slice of tomato, fresh spinach leaves, salt and pepper. Yum!


Cauliflower Parsnip Soup

  • 2 Onions
  • 3 Parsnips (they look like ugly white carrots...ugly until you peel them at least!)
  • 3-4 Cloves of Garlic
  • 2 Heads of Cauliflower
  • Water + 1 Vegetable Bouillon cube
  • Thyme (lots of it!)
  • 1/2 Teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoon pepper
  • 2 Dried bay leaves 
  • Cayenne pepper - amount depends on how spicy you like it, I usually give it at least 4 good shakes, I like tasting a little heat in the soup
  • 1/4 Cup greek yogurt
  • 1/4 Cup milk 


Garlic Parmesan Crostini

  • Skinny french bread loaf
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Fresh grated parmigiano reggiano
Dice the onions, peel the parsnips and die them, peel and chop the cloves of garlic. You'll be blending the soup later so a rough chop is fine. 


Saute the onions and parsnips in a little bit of olive oil in a large pot until cooked well. 










Add the garlic and a large tablespoon of minced fresh thyme and cook for a few more minutes. 






Cut the florets off the cauliflower and rinse, then add to the onion/parsnip/garlic and mix. 




Add water so that it covers the top of the veggies in the pot and add 1 vegetable bouillon cube, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 2 dried bay leaves and cayenne pepper to taste. Tie a bunch of thyme together with twine and throw it in the pot. 


Boil until the cauliflower is tender. Remove the thyme bundle and bay leaves. Use an immersion blender to mix until smooth. 






Add the greek yogurt and milk (optional, but makes it nice and creamy) and blend again. You want a smooth consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the baguette thinly and place on a foil-lined pan. 




Drizzle or brush with olive oil and add salt and fresh cracked pepper. 




Toast for 7-8 minutes then remove from heat when lightly golden brown. Cut a peeled clove of garlic in half and rub the garlic on the warm crostini. Grate some parmigiano reggiano and lightly sprinkle the cheese on the crostinis and put back in the oven for 4-6 minutes. Just keep an eye on it! Top the cauliflower soup with two crostini and enjoy!

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