This soup recipe is adapted from one found in Alfred Vogel’s Naturally Fresh & Delicious recipe book. I’ve omitted some of the ingredients (namely blue cheese and his own brand of seasoning), opting for a low calorie soup I could make with the ingredients I had on hand. I’ve also upped the quantity of garlic and shallot (1/4 of a garlic clove is not enough garlic, imho!) It’s a very light, fruity soup, perfect if you are on a low calorie diet. I’m not, so I had mine with plenty of homemade rye bread slathered with butter!
Ingredients
- 500 grams cauliflower
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- sea salt
- 300 grams pears
- 1 shallot
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 50 ml white wine
- 500 ml vegan vegetable boullion
- freshly ground black pepper
- black onion seeds
Instructions
1. Cut the cauliflower into florets.
2. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add vinegar and blanch the cauliflower florets for 2 minutes. Drain well. Set aside 100 grams of the cauliflower florets.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Saute shallot and garlic until softened, but not coloured.
4. Add the rosemary leaves, cauliflower and pears and cook for a further minute.
5. Add wine and cook a further minute before stirring in the vegetable bouillon.
6. Bring to the boil and simmer, with the lid on, for 15 minutes.
7. Remove soup from heat and cool slightly. Puree and season to taste.
8. Return soup to the heat and stir in the reserved cauliflower florets. Heat until warmed.
9. Serve with black onion seeds to garnish.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: Serves 4
I have entered this recipe into Lavendar & Lovage’s Herbs on Saturday bloggers challenge, hosted this month by Bangers and Mash, since it contains fresh rosemary.
Mum of three, daydream adventurer, OU Life Sciences graduate, occasional crafter, ex-pat Canadian & quite possibly Britain's most northerly food blogger.
Sandra Bald says
I love making soups & tend to stick the same recipes I have for roasted tomato, courgette & lemon, minestrone, lentil & chorizo – shall definitely have to try this recipe as I love cauliflower & pear
Liam Bishop says
What a great combo, never had pear in a soup! 🙂
Paul Wilson says
Great combination.
Maya Russell says
Not sure I’d go for this combination. Interesting, though.
Evelyn Moffat says
That soup looks and sounds lovely xx
Sam Williams says
This sounds like a really inventive choice of flavours
bev says
Very unusual combination of flavours!
Jeanette Chalmers says
This sounds lovely. We often get cauliflower reduced to clear and I am always looking for new ideas.
Elizabeth says
We get caulis in our veg box and would you believe I made the last one into chocolate ice lollies? I follow Veggie Desserts blog and it was her recipe, but the kids ate it up and had no idea it was chocolate flavoured pureed cauliflower!
KATE SARSFIELD says
I’ve made it before with the blue cheese but, like you I’m not a blue fan so will def. give this one a go – great way to use up windfall pears!
Elizabeth says
Let me know what you think without the cheese!
bangermashchat says
This sounds incredible. Cauliflower and pear is a combination I’ve never thought of trying before, and I’m certainly intrigued now. A perfect entry for January’s Herbs on Saturday – thank you!
Hannah says
Wow, that looks good 🙂 Perfect soup weather at the moment too!
Elizabeth says
Absolutely! We had ours after a morning walk. It was very, very nice 🙂
My Golden Pear says
Always good to find new ways to serve up cauliflower. I like the idea of the blue cheese as well.
Elizabeth says
I didn’t have any, so I omitted it (that and the fact I don’t like blue cheese!)
belleau kitchen says
what a lovely and creamy looking soup… delicious and tasty!
Elizabeth says
Thanks Dom, it was quite lovely – a bit summery, I felt, for this time of year though, hence the copious bread & butter accompaniment!