Yield: 10 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 cauliflower heads
3 garlic cloves
2 shallots
2 tbsps olive oil
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cups full fat coconut milk
1 bunch curly green kale
100 ml vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
For the crispy kale:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss the kale leaves with half of the vegetable oil.
Spread over a small baking sheet, and roast the kale for 10-15 minutes or until crispy. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.
For the cauliflower soup:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut the cauliflower into one-inch flowerets.
On a large baking sheet, toss chopped cauliflower, garlic, and shallots with the other half of vegetable oil to coat.
Roast on the middle rack in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden. Turn frequently, and remove any of the garlic and shallots if they are done sooner. Set aside few crispy cauliflower flowerets for garnish.
In a medium sauce pot, simmer vegetable broth, water, roasted cauliflower mixture, and herbs for 30 minutes, or until cauliflower is very tender. Remove bay leaf, and using a kitchen blender puree the soup in batches until very smooth.
Return the soup back in the pot and stir in the full fat coconut milk, along with salt and pepper to taste. Heat soup over moderate heat, until just heated through. Add more water if needed.
Serve the soup hot in bowls and garnish with crispy kale and reserved roasted cauliflower flowerets.
ABOUT THE CHEF: Lucky Dhillon learned early on that good food brings people together. With that insight and an extensive experience cooking all across the Vancouver Lower Mainland, he’s now helming his own catering service – Soulful Kitchen. A passion for the kitchen camaraderie combined with a background of working with local, rustic and fresh ingredients has lent his food a quality that’s best summed up as being, “Unpretentiously Soulful.” Soulful Kitchen, is now in its second successful year. Dhillon says the Soulful Kitchen team is focused on creating a soulful, elegant, and authentic experience that’s visible even in the minutest details.