Cauliflower and Rosemary Soup

I truly believe that necessity is the mother of invention.

I also believe that when the mother cannot invent, it falls upon her offspring to do so, no matter how devoid of energy they may feel.

Confused? I thought so. Allow me to backtrack for the briefest of seconds.

After what had been a very long and exhausting day at a photo shoot for work on Monday, I drove home in silence dreaming of my dark and quiet room where I would soon be able to rest my head until Iftar time. Upon my arrival I popped my head into the kitchen to bid my mother a barely audible “hello” only to find her almost doubled over in pain, clutching her lower back with a very sour expression. She mumbled something about not having made the lentil soup on account of being fresh out of red lentils, as I did my best to usher her out of the kitchen. I told her to lie down and rest, and that I would whip up a quick veggie soup. It took a bit more insisting and physically prying the cutting board out of her hands but eventually she departed and the kitchen was at last mine.

A quick survey of the vegetable crisper led me in the direction of today’s utterly simple yet delicious recipe for a fragrant cauliflower soup with garlic and rosemary. I needed something quick yet flavorful, warm and comforting and this soup was just the ticket.

 

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Vegan Cauliflower and Rosemary Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1/2 a large head of cauliflower, chopped into small florets
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried rosemary)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3-4 cups of vegetable stock

Directions

1. Sautee the onions and garlic in a large soup pot for 7-10 minutes on a medium heat until soft. Add the cauliflower, rosemary, salt and pepper and continue to cook for 3-5  minutes.
2. Add enough stock to cover the cauliflower and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the cauliflower is soft and cooked through.
3. Allow to cool for 5 minutes or so before blitzing in a blender until smooth. If you find the soup a bit thick after blending, add a splash more stock or water to thin as needed, just remember to adjust the seasoning.

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And there you have it – a rich and and creamy cauliflower soup in under 30 minutes, Ramadan friendly and foolproof to boot.

Served with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper, because we all want to pretend we’re cooking at a fancy pants restaurant every once in a while.