Photo: James Moffatt / Styling: Lucy Busuttil / Food Prep: Rebecca Lyall
Velvety, warm and deeply comforting, this cauliflower and leek soup turns humble ingredients into something quietly luxurious. Parmesan rind lends subtle nuttiness and savouriness as it simmers, while crisp parmesan discs add a salty crunch to every spoonful. Make it ahead for effortless entertaining or keep a batch in the fridge for easy lunches and cosy weeknight dinners.
Note: This prep-ahead starter is perfect for dinner parties; simply reheat the soup to serve and store the parmesan discs in an airtight container to keep them crisp
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C fan-forced. Using the top of your serving bowl as a guide, trace 4 circles on 2 sheets of baking paper, then place pencil-side down on 2 large greased baking trays.
Combine cauliflower florets, leek, butter, stock and parmesan rind in a large saucepan, season to taste, cover with a tight-fitting lid and place over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook, partially covered, until cauliflower is very tender (15 minutes). Discard parmesan rind.
Meanwhile, scatter half the parmesan over templates on baking trays, extending 1cm beyond markings. Toss cauliflower leaves and olive oil in a bowl. Season. Scatter around parmesan discs and bake until leaves are crisp (6 minutes). Remove leaves from tray and set aside to cool. Return tray to oven and bake until parmesan discs are golden (4-5 minutes). Set aside.
Add remaining parmesan to cauliflower soup then using a hand held blender, blend until very smooth. Season to taste.
Divide soup among warm serving bowls, top each with a parmesan disc and scatter with the cauliflower leaves. Serve with toasted sourdough (optional) on the side
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