Roasted Cauliflower & Pear Soup

Michelle couldn’t pass by the 99 cent cauliflower at Aldi’s. And in combination with a pear that was starting to get mushy in the fridge, here’s what we came up with. Worth making again for sure!

Ingredients:

1 large pear, peeled and diced 

·         1 small russet potato, peeled and diced 

·         2/3 head cauliflower, cut in florets

·         salt

·         pepper

·         dried sage

·         dried thyme

·         1 large leek, white and light green parts sliced

·         1 small shallot, minced

·         celery leaves, chopped

·         dry white wine

·         3 cups chicken or turkey stock stock, or as needed

·         2 bay leaves

·         5-10 fresh sage leaves, chopped

·         white wine vinegar (optional)

OPTIONAL GARNISHES

·         chives/green onions

·         Greek yogurt/sour cream

·         walnuts, chopped and 

lightly toasted

·         fresh cracked pepper

·         crumbled bacon

·         additional roasted cauliflower pieces

·         croutons or toast (we’d recommend sourdough)

Directions:

1.    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2.    Lightly drizzle the chunks of pear, potato, and cauliflower with olive oil. Season with a bit of salt, pepper, dried sage, and dried thyme. Toss to coat evenly. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, or until edges of veggies are starting to brown and caramelize.

3.    Prepare your “roux.” Saute the leek and shallot with a splash of olive oil over medium heat until cooked through and just starting to stick to the bottom of the pan.

4.    Deglaze with white wine (about a 1/4 cup) and reduce until most of the liquid evaporates.

5.    Add your stock to the pan along with bay leaves and some additional pepper and dried herbs.

6.    Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add fresh sage.

7.    Transfer veggies and pear from oven to stock pot. Allow to simmer in the pan for about 10 minutes (or longer).

8.    Place entire mixture in the blender and process until smooth (alternatively, you could use an immersion blender).

9.    Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Add more stock or wine, as needed to thin. If mixture is too thick, bring to a rapid simmer to allow some of the excess liquid to evaporate. At this point, you might want to add a tablespoon or so of white wine vinegar for extra tanginess.

10. Serve with garnishes of your choice. Our favorite bites included chives, Greek yogurt, and walnuts.

**consider adding diced fennel bulb to roasted veggies and possibly garnish with some of the fronds