As winter wraps up and we get ready for the cornucopia of spring and summer vegetables, I find myself already nostalgic for my standby winter crops. I whipped up this quick soup as a result the other night and I trust you’ll enjoy it as much as I did!
Ingredients:
- 1 head cauliflower
- 3 leeks
- 1-2 small Yukon gold potatoes
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- refined coconut oil
- organic, extra virgin olive oil
- unrefined sea salt
- seasoning (see below)
Directions:
Chop the white part of the leeks. If you’ve never chopped a leek before, it can seem a bit daunting. Most recipes call for just the white part but I am a fan of using some of the white/green part as well.
Cut off the thick green stalk and the end of the leek.- Cut the remaining portion of the leek in half length wise.
- Leeks grow in the ground so there can often be quite a bit of hidden dirt in the various layers. Once it is chopped in half, run under cool water to rinse away any and all dirt.
- Shake the leek vigorously to get rid of excess water.
- Chop into small thin slivers.
Wash (no need to peel) and chop the potatoes into tiny pieces. Heat up a soup pan and add the half coconut oil and half olive oil until warm. Once the oil is warm, add in the chopped leeks and potatoes and while these cook, chop the cauliflower. Remember, smaller pieces are more effort to chop but will then cook up much faster.
Once the leeks and potatoes are soft, add in the chopped cauliflower and stir well. Let this mixture cook for 5 minutes uncovered (you will get some charred/caramelized bits) before adding the stock. Stir well, bring to a boil, add salt to taste, and turn down to a simmer. Cover and let cook for another 5-10 minutes. Add herbs of your choice and turn off. At this point you can either leave the soup as it is or use an immersion blender to blend up ¼ – ½ of the soup. If you leave the soup as is, it will be chunky with a thin broth. If you blend part of it, the broth will contribute to a thicker, richer soup experience.
Put in pint jars for lunch, quart jars for freezing, or serve and enjoy!
Seasoning options:
- curry powder, spicy or mild
- thyme and black pepper
- garlic powder and cumin
