Article 0

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER & LEEK SOUP WITH PEA SHOOT PESTO & ALMOND PESTO

 From the book Small Plates and Sweet Treats: My family's journey to gluten-free cooking (Little Brown and Company, 2012) by Aran Goyaga.

As noted, this soup was originally served with a dandelion green and hazelnut pesto, and the pea shoot pesto was to dress ricotta gnocchi; for reference, the original recipes appear on pages 99 and 156, respectively. 

The recipe here is as written in the book, with my notes following after. 

Serves 4 to 6

For the pea shoot and almond pesto

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup (40 g) slivered almonds
• 2 cups (60 g) pea shoots, tough stalks removed and chopped
• 1 ounce (30 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil

For the roasted cauliflower and leek soup

• 1 medium cauliflower (1 pound or 450 g), cut into small florets
• 1/2 medium leek, cut into large rings
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced
• 3 cups (750 ml) chicken stock
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Method

Make the pesto. Place the garlic and almonds in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the almonds are finely chopped. Add the pea shoots and process into a paste. Add the Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Pulse one more time. Add the olive oil in a slight stream while the processor is on and process until a smooth paste forms. Scrape down the sides and mix well. 

TIP: If pea shoots are not available, watercress or spinach would be a great substitute. The pesto can be made in advance. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Make the soup.

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Toss together the cauliflower, leek, onion, garlic, olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoons of the salt. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes or until golden.
2. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large pot. Add the diced potato, chicken stock, coconut milk, thyme leaves, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.
3. Purée the soup in a blender. Adjust the seasoning and serve with the pesto.

Notes:

There were two small things that I'm divulging out of honesty, not out of any conceit that you must follow suit —

• I used goat's milk instead of the coconut milk because we had some in the fridge, and its sharpness was lovely against the mellow sweetness of the vegetables. 
• The bunch of thyme I thought I had went missing, and so it was left out of this batch of soup. The pea shoot pesto packs such flavour, that the soup was still a knockout.