Winter Soup

Happy New Year! I'm not one to make resolutions but I do have some changes I want to incorporate into this blog. I'm trying to be more mindful of cooking with ingredients that are in season and from local producers (when possible). Growing up with access to stocked grocery store shelves, this is something I've never had to think about. Starting this goal in January proved challenging as the primary growing season is over. A quick google search told me that celery and cauliflower are available from October till February. What can you make with celery and cauliflower? Cauliflower and celery root soup, of course!

This is a delicious way to incorporate more veggies into your diet. Fennel, onion, celery root, and cauliflower combine to make a hearty and satisfying combo. Ina Garten's recipe calls for a mixture of chicken stock and water. A splash of cream is added at the end which gives the soup a creamier consistency without being too heavy. To keep this soup entirely plant-based, you could omit the cream and use vegetable stock.

This soup is even better the next day. I made a big batch of it (including the croutons) and enjoyed it for lunch during the workweek. It was nice to have my lunch pre-made. I try to mess up as few dishes as possible when cooking. Out of laziness, I tried to use an emersion blender to avoid blending in batches. Um, this did not work, and I ended up making a huge mess -- oops. After transferring the soup to my blender, it was no trouble at all to puree.

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Cauliflower & Celery Root Soup

From Ina Garten's Make it Ahead

Serves 5-6

1/4 cup good olive oil, plus extra for serving

2 yellow onions, chopped

2 cups celery root, (1-inch dice)

2 pounds cauliflower, cored and cut into florets

2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Homemade Croutons, for serving (recipe follows)

Chopped fresh chives, for serving

Homemade Croutons

Makes about 2 cups

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups (1/2-inch dice) bread from a country loaf, crusts removed

Kosher salt

Heat the oil in a large (10-inch) sauté pan until hot. Add the bread and cook over medium heat, tossing frequently, until the bread is evenly toasted and browned. Sprinkle with salt.

Printable Version

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Garnish with homemade croutons, a sprinkle of fresh chives, and a drizzle of olive oil. Keep leftover bread in the freezer and use it to make croutons.

This soup would be great for entertaining. Make the soup and croutons the day before. Reheat the soup on the stove and serve with a green salad and some sparkling water.

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Get the Look

I love serving soup in giant teacups. These Spode Blue Italian mugs add a fun pop of color to a simple table setting. I added some woven chargers, neutral herringbone napkins, stemless wine glasses, and some votive candles.

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Thanks for reading!

- Sam