Cream of Cauliflower Cheese & Potato Soup

I find this soup to be very similar to Potato and Leek soup but its refreshing to taste the cauliflower and cheese through it. A winter warmer that will delight.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  head cauliflower (cut up)
• 4  medium  sized potatoes
• 1  leek, chopped
• 1  onion, chopped
• 4  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1  tablespoon thyme
• 1  tablespoon basil
• 3  bay leaves
• 5 1⁄2 cups  vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
• 2  cups  of grated cheddar cheese
• 1  cup  cream
•  oil
•  butter

• For the toast

•  baguette, slices
•  gruyere cheese

Directions

1. In a large pot add oil and butter and melt.
2. Saute onion, leek, garlic, thyme and basil until softened.
3. Add potato and cauliflower and toss through.
4. Add vegetable stock and bay leaves and cook for around 40 minutes.
5. Remove bay leaves.
6. Blend half the soup in a blender or with a hand held blitzer.
7. Mash with a potato masher the other half of the soup.
8. Add the blended half of the soup back with the mashed soup.
9. Return to heat and add the cheese. Stir till dissolved (this wont take long so dont leave it too long).
10. Add the cream and stir through.
11. To top with toast:.
12. Slice a baguette into thin slices.
13. Cover the slices with slices of gruyere cheese (if you dont have gruyere, then use cheddar or whatever cheese suits you).
14. Bake the slices in the oven for about 5 minutes at 180 until the cheese has melted.
15. If the slices are too big for the soup, quarter them or half them.
16. Serve on top of the soup.