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SNS 011| Cauliflower Soup Base

This video will teach you how to make a cauliflower soup base that can be served as is or doctored with different components and garnishes. I will also release a completed dish video that will demonstrate how we plate and serve this soup at Stella.

Simple Soup Ratio

For every one head of cauliflower you will need:

  • 4 ounce whole butter (always unsalted)
  • 1 yellow onion - Here's how to julienne an onion if your unfamiliar with that technique.
  • 1 large shallot (or two small)
  • 3 cloves of garlic (peeled)
  • 2 leeks (white and light green)
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • Enough water to cover
  • Kosher salt to taste

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There are 20 Comments

jacob burton's picture

@ skFlyFish,

This is pretty much a universal base that can be used for any pureed soup; just swap the cauliflower with an ingredient of you choice and maybe add a complimentary flavor or two. At the French restaurant where I learned this technique, we had about 5-6 soups on the menu, all purees and all composed (poured table side). The butternut squash soup that we served was this exact recipe but the cauliflower was replaced with peeled chunks of butternut squash and a tiny touch of honey, fresh sage leaves and cinnamon was added right at the end. It was delicious.

@ Greenbake,

Any fine mesh strainer will work. I prefer the connnical chinois in a professional environment because they're a little more efficient to use, especially when making large quantities. At home, I just use a simple "domed" fine mesh strainer like this.

jacob burton's picture

While each variety of the allium adds its own unique flavor profile to the dish, no one ingredient is super "critical." This soup is more about the technique of slowly sweating down aromatics to make a nice base for your primary ingredient. You can add or subtract aromatics and other flavors to fit your personal preference and needs.

In other words...Go for it! And let me know how it turns out ;-).

jacob burton's picture

Thanks for the update! Yes, Xanthan Gum is a great way to thicken a sauce or soup to the right viscosity without adding a starch which will ultimately change the flavor.

jacob burton's picture

@Sharp_Knife,

Zalbar is correct. The wine is there for a little acidity and "roundness" of flavor. I would recommend finishing with a high quality vinegar before serving or a few drops of lemon juice. The flavor profile won't be exactly the same but that doesn't mean you still can't make it delicious!

TMeyer's picture

I made this Sunday afternoon.  It came out silky smooth.  I did not add a thickening agent because it was fairly thick after I pureed it. 

To Chef Jacob, thanks for the advice on the white roux, but it was so close to being there, I omitted it.  

However, it was very mild, not a whole lot of flavor.  When I went back to the video to see if I had left something out, I noticed my head of cauliflower was huge.  Compared to the video,  my cauliflower dwarfed the onions.  I think I should have added more onion and garlic to compensate for the cauliflower.

Also, I used a Pinot Grigio because I had it open.  A full bodied Chardonnay probably would have added more flavor.

When I got home tonight, my wife had reheated it and the consistency was perfect.  She also added more salt, white pepper and some nutmeg,  This helped the flavor a lot.  If I were to serve it as is, next time I think I would replace the water with vegetable stock.

I am going to try it next time with butternut squash.  Thanks for the recipe and directions.

jacob burton's picture

Glad you had good luck with the soup. The nutmeg and white pepper sound like a nice addition.

The way I serve this at the restaurant is this: three florets of cauliflower that have been brined in sugar and salt for 60 minutes and then roasted in a hot oven, placed on top of three pieces of mache and garnished with basil oil, togarashi, maldon sea salt and the petals of morning glory flowers. The bowl is presented with the arranged garnishes and the cauliflower soup is poured table side.

TMeyer's picture

I bet it looks impressive! 

One thing caught my eye.  You brine your cauliflower.  My wife and I love it roasted.  I toss it with canola oil, S & P and roast in 350 - 375 oven.  Toss it with a little butter and a drizzle of olive oil and sweet paprika when it comes out of the oven.

What does the brining do to the flavor?  And, what temp is a "hot oven"?

Thanks.

jacob burton's picture

Cauliflower doesn't contain much natural sugar, so the brine will help to season it and also allow it to caramelize when roasted. At the restaurant, we'll roast it in a 900+F wood fire oven for about 60-90 seconds or until it slightly chars. At home I would go with 450-500F, until a dark golden brown.

TMeyer's picture

Thanks, I will brine it next time I make it.  What is your ratio of salt to sugar in your brine?

Marco099's picture

Hi Chef,

Thanks for another valuable technique. I made the following modifications:

  • I fried rounds of sweet potato on both sides until cooked through and light-medium brown, which I put on the bottom.
  • I added some porcini-infused olive oil on the rounds
  • Added just an ever so slight, tiny pinch of fresh ground cardamom from green pods
  • Poured soup and finished with just a little fresh grated nutmeg

I didn't serve table side for my wife and I. I just wanted to experiment with a different flavor combination. 

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