Cauliflower Soup With Roquefort

The cauliflower and the Roquefort just seem to meld together, that the soup is so smooth and warming just like comfort food should taste! You can use mature Cheddar and I suppose any cheese you happen to have handy, will work too. This recipe is taken from How to Cook Book Two, The delia Collection: Soup and Delia's Vegetarian Collection.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  head  good-sized cauliflower (about 1 lb 4 oz)
• 2  ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled into small pieces
• 2  bay leaves
• 1  ounce butter
• 1  medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 2  sticks celery, chopped
• 1  large leek, trimmed, washed and chopped
• 4  ounces potatoes, peeled and chopped into dice
• 2  tablespoons low-fat creme fraiche, plus a little extra
•  low-fat creme fraiche, to serve (optional)
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 -4  pinches crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1  tablespoon  snipped fresh chives (garnish)

Directions

1. The stock for this is very simply made with all the cauliflower trimmings.
2. All you do is trim the cauliflower into small florets and then take the stalk bits, including the green stems, and place these trimmings in a medium-sized saucepan.
3. Then add 2 1/2 pints of water, the bay leaves and some salt, bring it up to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes with a lid.
4. Meanwhile, take another large saucepan with a well-fitting lid, melt the butter in it over a gentle heat, then add the onion, celery, leek and potato, cover and let the vegetables gently sweat for 15 minutes.
5. Keep the heat very low, then, when the stock is ready, strain it into the pan to join the vegetables, adding the bay leaves as well but throwing out the rest.
6. Now add the cauliflower florets, bring it all back up to simmering point and simmer very gently for 20-25 minutes, until the cauliflower is completely tender, this time without a lid.
7. After that, remove the bay leaves, then place the contents of the saucepan in a food processor or liquidiser and process until the soup is smooth and creamy.
8. Next return it to the saucepan, stir in the creme fraiche and cheese and keep stirring until the cheese has melted and the soup is hot but not boiling.
9. Check the seasoning, then serve in hot bowls, garnished with a little more creme fraiche, if you like, and the chives.
10. Enjoy!