They called “Stormageddon”.
Last Friday, all the news outlets – radio, tv, internet – warned us to stock our pantries, keep our devices charged, and load up on candles in preparation for a massive three-part storm that was set to hit the coast of BC. We we all abuzz with talk of an apocalyptic-esque storm that would no doubt knock down trees and cause massage power outages.
It hit, and it was windy. The rain dame down sideways and people battled with umbrellas. The wind tore through the trees and whistled through cracking branches.
But it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been. Many people across my social media channels have been voicing their disappointment at the lack of, well, intensity. I’m just grateful that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. There were a few cases of injury and damages, but it could have been much, much worse.
It was, however, the perfect weekend to hole myself up inside. Even Parker the Pooch refused to step foot outside during the storm. We’d make it to the street post outside the building, he’d have a quick pee, and then bolt right back towards the door like his butt was on fire.
He’s not a fan of the rain.
With my pantry well-stocked and all my errands done, there was no need to go outside. Instead, I sat in my cozy apartment with a constantly full pot of tea, nestled in between blankets, watching the gumboot-clad adventurers brave the rain outside.
In all honesty, it was fantastic. The perfect weekend to prepare for an unusually busy/stressful upcoming week.
On the agenda for meals this weekend was hearty breakfasts, stew, melty grilled cheese sandwiches, and of course, soup. There’s nothing quite like a bowl of soup on a grey fall day.
This soup covers a lot of bases. It’s rich, hearty (one bowl is surprisingly filling!) and packed with vegetables. Roasting the cauliflower before blending it up helps caramelize the flavours, and the addition of apple gives this soup a slightly tart, natural sweetness . It’s an unusual combination, but it works.
Just be sure to serve with a side of crusty bread for dipping. Is there really any other way?
Stay cozy, my friends!
Roasted Cauliflower & Apple Soup | | Print |
- Roasted veggies:
- 1 large head of cauliflower, broken into small florets
- 2 sweet apples (such as Honeycrisp), peeled and diced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Pinch of thyme
- Salt & pepper
- .
- 1 onion, peeled and diced
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp chopped fresh sage
- Pinch of red chili flakes (optional)
- 5 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil. Place cauliflower and apple pieces on baking tray and drizzle with olive oil, cinnamon, thyme, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Roast for about 20 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large, heavy bottomed pot, saute onion in butter until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, sage and chili flakes and cook for another 2 minutes until garlic is fragrant.
- Transfer onion mixture to a blender (or alternatively use an immersion blender). Add chicken stock, roasted cauliflower and apples, and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer back to pot to keep warm, or serve immediately.
AJ says
I know this is an older post but I wanted to let you know this soup is amazing!! I made it over the weekend and it is everything I wanted in a cream soup but without the dairy. It’s also a relatively quick and easy recipe to make; I roasted the cauliflower and apples one night then finished it off the next. Roasting definitely takes it to another level taste wise. Only addition I made was to add in a spoonful of non-dairy cream cheese with the stock to make the soup a little more creamy and rich. This is now my new fall go to soup.
Finn says
Amazing! Doesn’t matter if it’s an older post, we always LOVE to hear feedback from people who have made our recipes. Thanks, AJ!!!
Jocelyn says
I tried cauliflower apple soup on a trip to Napa at The Vellagio resort and it was so mind blowing delicious that I thought it was magic that could only be achieved by a professional chef. I tried three or four other recipes before this one and they were okay but never compared to the first time I had the soup. I found this recipe and it seemed really simple so I gave it a try for a dinner with my girlfriends and it was such a hit! I honestly think it’s better than the original soup I was chasing and now it’s my friends favorite soup too! I pulled the recipe up this morning to make for a family bringing a new baby home and thought I had to tell you how remarkable this recipe is! It’s rich, comforting, but still healthy and hearty enough to have any time, to be honest I even love it cold for breakfast as a left over! Thank you so much for this cauliflower magic!
Finn says
Wow, that is great, Jocelyn! Honestly, this just made our day! 😀
John Warden says
Saw this recipe and made it tonight. Very good. Kept thinking it needed a smoky flavour and it was too late for bacon, so added some grated smoked Gouda. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing the recipe.