It is now soup season and this one is tasty… and easy! This recipe has become one of my favorite ways to enjoy cauliflower. The simplicity of the recipe belies the wonderful depth of flavor this soup has. Since most of the cooking happens in the oven, you gain some time to finish other tasks if desired. Also, this soup can be tweaked to suit your tastes, but I am delivering my ‘go to’ recipe here. Ready, set, let’s cook!

Coriander Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Prosciutto Bark

Ingredients:

• 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into flowerets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• salt
• fresh cracked pepper
• 3 slices prosciutto
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth (or chicken stock if desired)
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (can use water, broth or a combination as a substitute)
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tsp diced shallot
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• paprika (optional)
• parsley (optional)

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the cleaned and cut cauliflower into a large bowl, drizzzle the olive oil over and toss to distribute.

Sprinkle the pinch of salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and the coriander.

Toss to distribute well and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put in the middle of the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the pieces over after 30 minutes and roast for another 10 minutes or until the edges have nice caramelization.

When the cauliflower is done, slide it into the blender. Heat the butter in a small pot over medium heat and when melted, add the shallots.

Lightly brown the shallots then add the garlic.

Once the garlic is fragrant, add the shallots and garlic to the blender. Add the stock and wine. Blend until smooth. If too thick, add the cream and continue blending. If needed, add additional broth (or water) in small amounts until blender runs smoothly. Pour the soup into the small pot, cover, and heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Place the prosciutto onto the baking sheet and place into the 375 degree oven. At 5 – 6 minutes, check and if crisping nicely, turn to complete the crisping and roast to a nice crisp without burning. Total time to bake the prosciutto into bark is about 10 minutes. Ladle the soup into a bowl, sprinkle with paprika and parsley (if desired) and stand the prosciutto bark into the soup.  If the prosciutto is crisp enough, it will shatter when struck gently with a spoon.