Christmas is almost here, y’all! If you’re like me, you may just now be dreaming up a menu for a special holiday meal with loved ones. Around here, our (food-related) non-negotiable traditions are tamales every Christmas Eve and a Chateubriand (beef tenderloin) for Christmas Day. The rest is up to whoever’s feeling particulary inspired in the kitchen. A couple weeks ago my husband and I hosted a Christmas party at our home in Houston where I served this decadent cauliflower soup (among many other tried-and-true favorites like Korean meatballs, Caprese Kabobs, and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus in Crudite Cups.) It was an absolute hit. It’s healthy, easy enough for a weeknight, yet sophisticated enough for a special occasion or dinner party. Be sure to top with crunchy, truffled croutons (which are also very simple to make!) and succulent pomegranate seeds which lend an unexpected but neccesary burst of sweetness to the soup. Buen provecho and feliz navidad!
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets, stem removed
- 3 whole cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 quart broth (vegetable or chicken)
- 2 teaspoons pomegranate vinegar (or other dark fruit vinegar)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin seed
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- fresh rosemary
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Place cauliflower florets and garlic cloves on foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until fragrant and slightly browned.
- (While that's in the oven, you can make the truffle croutons.)
- Add cauliflower and garlic to a large ovenproof stock pot/dutch oven with a lid. Pour in broth, vinegar, cayenne pepper, cumin, garam masala, garlic salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook on low with the lid on for about 20 minutes until broth mixture has reduced significantly. Pour in the milk and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth (or carefully transfer to a blender and back to the pot.) If it's too thin at this point, you might want to let it cook a little longer (10 minutes or so) or add in a splash of cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Finish with croutons (recipe follows), pomegranate seeds, a little drizzle of truffle oil, and rosemary for garnish.
- 3-4 pieces sourdough bread (preferably a day or two old), cut into small cubes
- 1 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup asiago cheese, grated
- 1 Tablespoon truffle oil (truffle-infused olive oil)
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Toss in bread cubes and let crisp up on all sides, tossing as you go (but not too frequently.) This will take about 8 minutes. Top with asiago cheese. Place in oven for about 5 minutes until cheese is golden and crisp. Drizzle with truffle oil to finish.
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