IN A SOUP!

Not many of us really like soup. It’s most often looked at as something healthy and ‘SICK PEOPLE FOOD.’ But soups have got a makeover and how. No longer do you have to pick and choose between boring options like Cream of Tomato, Sweet Corn Chicken and Hot N’ Sour Soup. There seem to be quite a few experimental eager beavers out there who have come up with some stellar recipes that not only warm the cockles of your, in this case, stomach, but also make an insipid bowl a delicious mouthful and meal by itself.

Here are two gorgeous recipes that you MUST try at home:

Creamy Roasted Garlic and Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:

·         1 whole head cauliflower

·         1 large whole head garlic

·         1 tablespoon olive oil

·         1 tablespoon butter

·         1 1/2 stalks celery, diced

·         1 yellow onion, diced

·         1 carrot, diced

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1/4 teaspoon pepper

·         1/8 teaspoon paprika

·         1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

·         1 tablespoon flour

·         1/3 cup dry white wine

·         1/2 cup water

·         2 cups vegetable broth, plus up to 2 more as needed for desired consistency

·         1 dried bay leaf

·         2 teaspoons fresh minced parsley

·         1/3 cup half and half

·         3 ounces cooked and crumbled bacon

·         additional oil for serving - olive oil or truffle oil

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut cauliflower into individual florets. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Transfer to a foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cut the top off of the head of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap with foil. Place wrapped garlic on the baking sheet. Roast the cauliflower and garlic at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. When the cauliflower is tender and golden remove from the oven. The garlic will need to roast for a total of about 25-30 minutes. You can remove it to check it's progress as needed - it should smell fragrant but not raw, be golden and tender.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a cast iron dutch oven or medium-large stock pot. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Whisk in the salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and flour and continue to cook for 2 more minutes. Add the wine and water, whisking to combine with the flour mixture. Then, slowly add in the 2 cups broth. Add the bay leave and roasted garlic cloves. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Working in batches, add the soup to a blender or food processor and blend until pureed and smooth. Add additional broth during or after blending to achieve desired consistency. After all the batches have been completed, return to the pot. Stir in the half and half and parsley. Cook until just heated through. Adjust salt and pepper for tastes. Serve immediately, topped with bacon and a drizzle of olive or truffle oil and a side of bread for dipping.

Cheddar Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

·         ½ stick butter

·         1 cup onion, chopped

·         1 celery stalk, chopped

·         2 cloves of garlic, chopped

·         ¼ cup flour

·         ¼ tsp paprika

·         ¼ tsp red pepper flakes

·         4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

·         1 ½ cups half and half

·         2 ½ cups cheddar cheese, grated (I used a cup of smoked and medium for the remaining)

·         a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Directions: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat then add the onion, celery and garlic. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in the flour, paprika and red pepper flakes, stir, then stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer for about 15 minutes or when the vegetables are soft then puree the soup with a hand blender, food processor, or blender. Be careful with the hot mix, folks. Return the mix to the pot if needed and add the half and half. Bring to a simmer once again then add the cheese by the handful, stirring each time until each portion is melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce over the top when serving or add to the entire pot, it’s your choice. Bacon, croutons and a number of other toppings would be wonderful over this recipe.