Roasted Cauliflower and Red Pepper Soup

So this week I joined a food co-op called Bountiful Baskets. The upside is you get a bunch of fruits and veggies at a good price. The down side is you don't get to choose the fruits and veggies. I made peace with these two facts and accepted the latter as a sort of challenge and an opportunity for serendipitous discovery to take place. So far so good.


This week's challenging veggie? Cauliflower. Well, I'll see your cauliflower and raise you two red peppers! In my search for a suitable recipe, I looked for something hearty, comprising the bulk of a meal. I also wanted something fairly simple with the kind of ingredients I already had in the kitchen (luckily red bell peppers were on special for 99 cents earlier this week.) This delicious Roasted Cauliflower and Red Pepper Soup from Closet Cooking is what I found. It's relatively simple and very healthy.


The cauliflower thickens the soup without the need for an unhealthy roux. You don't have to compromise on taste either. The roasted veggies reward you with a surprising depth of flavor that far surpasses their uncooked counterparts. Add some onion, garlic and a bit of cayenne pepper to turn up the heat. What you have now is a flavor profile that reaches true perfection with a thick dollop of Greek yogurt on top. If you have some thyme on your hands, you can toss a sprig or two on top as a garnish as I did in the picture above. 

Roasted Cauliflower and Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower (cut into florets)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 roasted red peppers
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• 3 cups chicken stock

Directions

1. Toss the cauliflower florets in the olive oil with the salt and pepper.
2. Arrange the cauliflower florets in a single layer in a baking dish.
3. Roast the cauliflower in a preheated 400F oven until lightly golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.
4. Heat the oil in a pan.
5. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Add the cauliflower, roasted red peppers, cayenne and stock.
8. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes.
9. Puree with a hand blender or food processor.
10. Serve garnished with Greek yogurt.