Roasted Cauliflower Soup With Bacon and Parsley Oil

This creamy, nutty-tasting soup gets an extra punch of flavor from crumbled bacon and bright parsley oil.

Special equipment: Blender or hand blender

Ingredients

serves Serves 6 to 8, active time 25 minutes, total time 50 minutes

• 2 medium heads cauliflower, separated into large florets
• 1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 slices bacon
• 1 large white or yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 6 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Procedures

1. Adjust oven racks to middle positions and preheat oven to 400°F. Toss cauliflower with 4 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Divide between 2 rimmed baking sheets and roast, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned and tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven.
   
2. Meanwhile, lay bacon slices in a cold cast-iron skillet, then set over medium heat. Cook, flipping once, until browned and crispy, about 6 minutes. Drain bacon on a paper towel, then chop or crumble into bite-sized pieces.
   
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add roasted cauliflower and stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
   
4. Let soup cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Add half and half and use a hand blender to blend soup until smooth. Alternatively, blend soup in a blender in two batches. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Keep soup warm.
   
5. Combine remaining 1/2 cup olive oil and parsley in blender and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Pass oil through a fine-meshed sieve.
   
6. To serve, ladle soup into bowls, garnish with parsley oil, and sprinkle with chopped bacon. Serve immediately.

Smoky Cauliflower Soup With Wild Mushrooms and Ham Crisps

Lush and creamy roasted cauliflower soup is finished with herb-roasted wild mushrooms and ham crisps.

Note: Feel free to make the soup and mushrooms in advance. Both will store nicely in the refrigerator for about two days. However, make the ham crisps prior to serving.

Special equipment: Baking sheets, blender, cooking spray

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 15 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• For the Soup:
• 1 large head cauliflower, cored, cut into florets and tough stalks discarded
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Black pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot or sweet pimentón (smoked paprika)
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk, plus additional as needed
•  
• For the Mushrooms:
• 1 pound mixed wild mushrooms, cleaned and cut into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
•  
• For the Ham:
• Non-stick cooking spray
• 1/2 pound very thinly sliced deli ham or prosciutto

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
   
2. Place cauliflower on a 13- by 9-inch baking sheet in a single layer. Toss with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and pimentón. Transfer to oven to roast, tossing halfway through, until tender and browned, 35 to 40 minutes.
   
3. While the cauliflower is cooking, add mushrooms, rosemary, thyme, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and remaining 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar to a medium, oven-safe baking dish. Season with salt and pepper, toss to combine and transfer to the oven to roast until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are nicely browned, 25 to 30 minutes
   
4. On another baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray, place sliced ham in a single layer. Spray the side facing up with a thin coating of cooking spray and place in oven to crisp, about 10 minutes.
   
5. Remove cauliflower, mushrooms and ham from the oven. Discard rosemary and thyme and cover mushrooms to keep them warm. Transfer cauliflower to a blender. Add milk and pulse to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then puree until smooth, adding additional liquid as needed to create a smooth, creamy soup. If necessary, heat soup in a large pot after blending.
   
6. Ladle soup into individual bowls, and garnish with a ham crisp and mushrooms. Serve immediately.

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Cauliflower Soup

Note: When puréeing your soup, you can use a food processor, blender, or hand blender. Regardless, make sure to wait until it's cooled a bit to prevent a messy explosion. I tend to divide my soups into halves or thirds to make sure it doesn't overwhelm the appliance.
Although the lemon juice may seem like a negligible amount and you therefore may be tempted to skip it, a dash of lemon juice can bring a vibrancy of flavor to many soups and really helps this one pop.
To make this soup vegetarian, use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth, and eliminate the pancetta in the garnish.

Ingredients

serves Serves 4 to 6, active time 30 minutes, total time 1 hour

• 4 large sweet red bell peppers, cored, stemmed, seeded, and pressed flat
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 medium garlic cloves, chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
• 1 quart homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock (see note above)
• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 head of cauliflower, core removed, cut into florets
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed juice from 1 lemon
• 1/3 cup pancetta, finely chopped (see note above)
• 1/2 medium apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch dice (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 slices of crusty Italian bread cut into 1/2 inch dice (about 1 cup)

Procedures

1. Preheat the broiler to high. Place the peppers on a foil lined baking sheet. Place the peppers on a shelf about 4 inches below the heating element and broil until blistered and blackened, then place in a plastic bag and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, use a knife and peel the blackened skin off the pepper under running water. Coarsely chop the peppers and set aside.
   
2. In a heavy saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-low heat until shimmering, then add the onions and cook until tender, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, thyme, paprika, and chicken or vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, then add the potato and cauliflower and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes, then purée in batches until very smooth (see note above). Stir in the lemon juice, season to taste with more salt and pepper, and keep warm on low heat until ready to serve.
   
3. To Serve: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until lightly smoking, then add the pancetta and apples and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until the apples are tender and the pancetta is beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the diced bread, and cook, carefully stirring to prevent burning, until the bread has crisped and begun to brown, about 4 minutes longer. Season with the black pepper. Ladle the soup into individual bowls, then garnish with a scoop of the pancetta flavored croutons. Serve immediately.

Vegetarian Maqluba (Rice Layered With Tomatoes, Eggplant, and Cauliflower)

Middle Eastern maqluba is a tall, golden savory cake filled to bursting with tender vegetables and crowned with yielding rounds of tomatoes.

Special equipment: Pastry brush

Ingredients

serves Serves 6 to 8, active time 30 minutes, total time 1 hour 10 minutes

• 1 2/3 cups basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 medium eggplants, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• About 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium cauliflower, divided into medium florets
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• Plain yogurt, for serving (optional)
• Hot sauce such as sambal oelek, for serving (optional)
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving (optional)

Procedures

1. Adjust oven racks to middle positions and preheat oven to 400°F. Cover rice with water, stir in 1 teaspoon of salt, and let soak.
   
2. Stir together turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and cloves in a small bowl. In a large bowl, toss eggplant slices with 3 tablespoons oil, 1/3 of the spice mixture, and salt and pepper to taste. Lay eggplant out on two rimmed baking sheets and roast, turning slices once, until eggplant is browned and tender, about 20 minutes.
   
3. In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with 2 tablespoons oil, 1/3 of the spice mixture, and salt and pepper to taste. Lay cauliflower out on a rimmed baking sheet and roast, stirring once, until cauliflower is browned and tender, about 20 minutes.
   
4. Assemble the maqluba: line the bottom of a Dutch oven with a circle of parchment paper, then brush paper and sides of pot with melted butter. Assemble tomato slices in a circle, covering bottom of pot and overlapping the slices as you go. Follow with the eggplant. Arrange cauliflower over eggplant. Drain rice thoroughly, then spread over cauliflower. Stir remaining spice mixture and 1 teaspoon salt into vegetable stock, and pour over rice. Scatter garlic pieces over top.
   
5. Place pot over high heat and bring stock to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove pot from heat, remove lid, drape a clean tea towel over top of pot, and quickly replace lid, letting dish set for 10 minutes. Quickly invert rice dish onto a large round platter; do not remove pot for 2-3 minutes. Remove pot and circle of parchment and serve maqluba with plain yogurt, hot sauce and chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.

Make-Ahead Steak with Hazelnut Gremolata and Cauliflower

Ingredients

serves Serves 2, active time 20 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup crushed hazelnuts
• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 3 cups florets)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (12 ounce) hanger, skirt, flank, or sirloin tip (flap meat) steak
• 1 tablespoon canola, vegetable, or light olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons grated zest from 1 lemon

Procedures

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat olive oil in small pan over medium-high heat until just shimmering. Add hazelnuts, turn off the heat, and swirl until just golden brown, about 1 minute. Strain oil and reserve hazelnuts. Spoon 1 tablespoon of hazelnut oil over cauliflower and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and roast until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, season steak with salt and pepper and heat canola, vegetable, or light olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Cook steak, turning occasionally, until well browned and center registers 120 to 125°F on an instant read thermometer for medium rare, 130°F for medium, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest 10 minute.
   
3. Combine parsley, lemon zest, hazelnuts, and remaining tablespoon hazelnut oil in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add to cauliflower and toss to coat. Slice steak. Serve, or refrigerate and serve cold or at room temperature.