Cauliflower Leek Soup

Waiting. That is what it is all about right now. Luise only has a couple of days left of her pregnancy and we are in some kind of vacuum of nothingness. Everybody tells us how life suddenly get a new meaning when you have your first child. So here we are, trying to be prepared for this big evolving change. Sitting around waiting for it, not doing much. Except from cooking lots and lots of food. Since last weekend our fridge has been stuffed with all kind of vegetables, beetroot burgers, mushroom loaf and this wonderful cauliflower soup. Maybe it’s a primal instinct to bulk up with all this food?

However, we have already shared the recipes of the loaf and the burgers. Here is the soup. The great thing about cauliflower, beside the lovely nutty taste and all the vitamins, is that the soup get a creamy thick consistence without using cream, potatoes or any other kind of thickener. By also adding lemon to the soup you get this fresh taste!

Cauliflower Leek Soup
Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 pinch of chili powder
1 cauliflower
2 leeks
4 cups (1 l) water
1 lemon, juice
fresh thyme
sea salt & pepper
roasted almonds (roughly sliced)

Start by prepearing onion and garlic. Then seperate the cauliflower florets from the stalk and cut into smaller pieces. Cut the remaining stalk in half and chopped. Discard the dark green leaves of the leek there are tough. Coarsely chop the leek and place in a strainer, rinse well and drain. Add olive oil to a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic and chili and cook until the onions soften, stir occasionally. Add cauliflower and leek and let it fry for a couple of minutes. Add water and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer until the vegetables are soften, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile heat a skillet and toast the almonds until lightly brown. Pour half of the water into a bowl and set aside. Use a hand blender to puree the soup. Stir in half of the lemon juice, thyme, salt and pepper. If the soup is to thick add some of the remaining water. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour into bowls and serve with fresh thyme, lemon zest and toasted almonds.