Cauliflower Soup (Recipe)

Inspired by a cauliflower soup I had while in Iceland, it took a little experimenting before I got something I thought was worth sharing. I think this soup is pretty versatile in terms of serving it in a bread bowl, pairing it with different foods or using different garnishes. You can even add cheese and reduce the amount of stock to make a thick dip for breads or vegetables.

Here is what you'll need:
1 medium cauliflower, stems removed
3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
3/4 cup milk, 2% is fine, whole milk will yield a richer soup
3/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. corn starch
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste

Optional garnishes:
Parmesan cheese
Sharp cheddar cheese
Fresh cilantro
Fresh parsley
Fresh chives
Smoked trout
Croutons
Beet chips
Fried onions
More fresh ground pepper

Here is what you'll do:
- Wash and roughly chop cauliflower.
- In a medium saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil.
- Add cauliflower, bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and cook until tender (about 8 minutes).
- Remove pot from heat, let cool for a few minutes and either process cauliflower in a food processor or use an emulsion blender to puree the cauliflower until as smooth as possible.
- Add back into pot and return pot to heat.
- Add white wine, bring to a boil and let cook for about 2 minutes to cook out the alcohol, stirring regularly.
- In a small cup, add the corn starch with about 1/4 cup of the milk. Stir until dissolved and add that mixture, the rest of the milk, cream, mustard and all other dry ingredients to the pot.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Let cook for another two minutes, stirring regularly.
- Serve hot with the garnish of your choice.