Creamy Cauliflower & Leek Soup

I'm trying to get in as many soups as I can while it's still cold outside.  Once the warm air strikes, soup is usually the last thing that pops into my head as I make the menu.

Lately, I feel like I've gone back to making baby food with all the pureeing, but it really is a great way to get in a few extra veggies.  Read:  I'm tired of having to pick out every tiny onion from Colin's food so that he'll eat it!  This solves the problem.  If he eats it.

I love the whole roasted garlic glove in this soup.  It tones down the stay-with-you-all-day raw garlic and transforms it into almost a nutty taste.  I'm also a big fan of leeks because I love cutting them and seeing all the layers fall apart.  I know, I'm a nerd.

The original recipe called for a turkey bacon crumble on the top, but to make this vegetarian, I omitted that and changed the chicken broth to veggie broth - 2 easy substitutions.

We all really enjoyed this and it's easy enough to make up in the morning, or even the night before.  Just reheat when you're ready to serve.

Creamy Roasted Garlic & Cauliflower Soup          {Print it!} originally posted on Good Life Eats

Ingredients:

1 whole head cauliflower
1 large whole head garlic
1/2 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 chicken or vegetable broth, plus up to 2 more as needed for desired consistency
1 dried bay leaf
2 teaspoons fresh minced parsley
1/3 cup almond milk
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 almond milk and parsley. Cook until just heated through. Adjust salt and pepper for tastes.

Serve immediately, topped with a drizzle of olive or truffle oil.