During the holiday season my husband and I ate with abandon. Homemade cookies and cakes arrived at our door and in the mail from friends who are talented bakers. We indulged in all manner of cheeses–Mont d’Or from France and Jasper Hill’s Harbison from Vermont were our favorites. We also assembled bountiful charcuterie boards on more than one occasion. On Christmas Day with our extended family, everyone forgot their diets and savored a beef roast with port wine, bacon, and shallot sauce served with sides that included a potato and crème fraîche gratin and sugar snaps tossed in brown butter. Now that the season of feasting is past, I am looking for recipes that are more healthy, simpler to prepare, and inexpensive. Cauliflower soup with toasted hazelnuts and Gruyère just happens to meet all these requirements.
This potage is one I first made during a winter stay in Paris over a decade ago. I remember clearly that it was early January and while shopping at an outdoor market I found a handsome head of cauliflower and also picked up a bunch of leeks along with a bag of hazelnuts and a “tranche” of Gruyère. At home I prepared a soup, sautéing together cauliflower florets, chopped leeks, carrots, and celery, then simmering them quickly in chicken stock until tender. After pureeing the soup, I whisked in milk in place of cream. A touch of grated Gruyère and crushed hazelnuts were flavorful garnishes. Voilà! Here was a potage that was lower in fat compared to most soups I serve, easy to assemble (20 minutes prep time and an hour start to finish), and prepared with inexpensive, seasonal ingredients.
All these years later, this dish is still just as good today, especially for a post-holiday lunch or light supper. My spouse and I can’t wait to have bowls of it along with a warm baguette and a mixed greens salad tossed in a vinaigrette dressing. Happy New Year to everyone. May 2025 be filled with delicious meals shared with others!
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Cauliflower Soup with Toasted Hazelnuts and Gruyère
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped leeks
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
One 3 lb head of cauliflower, cut to yield 6 cups of florets (or packaged cauliflower florets)
4 cups chicken broth, plus up to 1 cup or more if needed
Kosher salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup whole milk, plus up to 1/2 cup more if needed
1/3 cup grated Gruyère
1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts (see cooking tip)
1 tbsp chopped chives or flat leaf parsley, for garnish
1.In a large, heavy pot (with a lid) over medium heat, heat the oil until hot. Add the leeks, carrots, and celery and sauté, stirring, until just slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets and stir and cook 2 minutes more.
2.Add 4 cups of broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cayenne pepper, and several grinds of black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and cook the soup at a gentle simmer until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a small sharp knife, 20 to 25 minutes or more.
3,Purée the soup in a food processor, blender or food mill, and return the soup to the pot. (Or use an immersion blender to purée the soup in the pot.) Whisk in 1/2 cup milk. If the soup is too thick, add up to 1 cup or more broth and 1/2 cup additional milk. Season the soup with additional salt if needed. (Soup can be prepared one day ahead; cook to this stage, then cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat over medium heat, stirring often.)
4.Ladle the soup into 4 individual bowls. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of cheese, some toasted hazelnuts, and chives or parsley.
Serves 4
Cooking tip: To toast hazelnuts, spread on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a preheated 350- degree F oven until lightly browned and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Watch carefully. Remove and place nuts in a kitchen towel and rub off as much of the skins as possible.
Adapted from Soup Nights by Betty Rosbottom (Rizzoli 2016)
