Creamy Cauliflower-Garlic Soup

I love cauliflower and I love garlic so this was a no-brainer for me when I found it in the 12/2004 issue of Sunset magazine. The roast garlic gives this soup a wonderful, mellow flavor. This makes a large amount of soup so it's perfect for a dinner party or holiday meal.

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 10-12
• Yields: 3 quarts

Ingredients

• 1  head garlic, unpeeled (2 1/2 oz.)
• 1  tablespoon butter
• 3  heads cauliflower (about 4 1/2 lbs. total)
• 2  quarts  low-fat chicken broth
• 1⁄2 cup  whipping cream
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•  salt, to taste
•  fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 2  tablespoons  thinly sliced fresh chives

Directions

1. With a sharp knife, cut top 1/2 off garlic head (off the pointy part of the head). Set garlic on a sheet of foil and top with butter. Gather sides of foil up and pinch together to form a loose, sealed pouch.
2. Bake garlic in a 400° oven until garlic is soft when pressed, 45 to 50 minutes. Unwrap and let stand until cool enough to handle.
3. Meanwhile, cut cauliflower heads into 1-inch florets, discard leaves and stems. In a 4 to 5-quart pan, combine cauliflower and broth. Cover, bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is very tender when pierced, 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Squeeze garlic cloves from papery skins into pan with cauliflower and broth; pour in cream. Working in batches, transfer to a blender and whirl until smooth (I use an immersion blender at this point). Return soup to pan and add the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Set pan over medium-low heat and stir occasionally until hot. Pour into a large bowl or tureen and sprinkle with chives.