- 1 large head cauliflower, broken into small pieces
- 4 tablespoons Wild Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling on each serving
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup half-and-half or milk
- freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Place oven rack in middle position and preheat to 450 degrees F. Break cauliflower into small pieces and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour 2 tablespoons of Wild Mushroom & Sage EVOO and ¼ teaspoon of the kosher salt over the cauliflower pieces and toss to coat well.
Spread out cauliflower pieces into an even layer and roast in oven for about 40 minutes until browned and tender, turning half way through. When the cauliflower is done, remove from oven and set aside. Reserve a few pieces of browned cauliflower to garnish the dish when serving.
While the cauliflower cooks, prepare your remaining ingredients. Chop the onion and garlic cloves and remove leaves from the fresh thyme. In a large Dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of Wild Mushroom & Sage EVOO over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chopped garlic and onions and sauté until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted cauliflower to the Dutch oven along with the 1 cup of water, 4 cups of broth and thyme leaves.
Let it come to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the half-and-half or milk, whichever you are using. Using a stick blender, puree the soup mixture until smooth. You can also use a blender to puree the mixture but do it in batches and crack the blender lid to let steam escape. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in bowls garnishing with roasted cauliflower pieces, thyme sprigs, cracked black pepper and a healthy drizzle of Wild Mushroom & Sage EVOO!
