Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Gouda Cheese

Serves 10 in about 30 minutes. Celery goes in first, and half finishes the pot.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 2-pound head of cauliflower (about 4 cups) fresh or frozen
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
• ¾ cup half and half
• 5 oz gouda cheese, shredded ( 1 ¼ cups shredded)

Method

1. Warm a 5-quart pot and add the olive oil and butter.
2. Stir in the onion and celery and sauté until almost translucent, while stirring now and then.
3. Stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic, and the cauliflower florets. Sauté for a instant.
4. Scatter flour over the vegetables and stir. The mixture will thicken and become paste-like. Just cook this a instant, stirring, to cook the raw taste out of the flour.
5. Mix in the broth very well and bring to a low simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook at a low simmer for about 15 minutes, until the cauliflower breaks apart easily with the spoon.
6. Lift out from heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer in batches to a blender or food processor to puree. Be careful of the hot contents! Then transfer pureed soup back to the pot.
7. Mix in the half and half and warm the soup back up.
8. Stir in the cheese and stir until melted. Take off of heat and serve immediately with some crusty bread.

More soups and stews ideas are in the soups and stews collection.