Spiced Roasted Cauliflower and Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower (whole head, trimmed into small florets)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (for roasting)
• salt (to taste)
• 2 tsp curry powder (divided use)
• 1 tsp turmeric (divided use)
• 0.5 tsp cumin (for roasting)
• 0.25 tsp cinnamon (for roasting)
• fresh nutmeg (grated, divided use)
• 1 bunch asparagus (trimmed and chopped)
• 1 onion (roughly chopped)
• 5 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 0.5 tsp ground coriander (for the pan)
• 0.25 cup white wine (for deglazing)
• 4 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• pumpkin seeds (for garnish)
• 4 slices bacon (cooked until crispy, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. 2

   Trim a whole head of cauliflower into florets. Cut the larger florets into smaller pieces to ensure they roast evenly.

3. 3

   In a large bowl or directly on a baking tray, toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil and salt.

4. 4

   Season the cauliflower with curry powder, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and freshly grated nutmeg. Mix thoroughly to coat each floret.

5. 5

   Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on a baking tray and roast in the oven until nice and crispy, about 25-30 minutes.

6. 6

   While the cauliflower roasts, trim and chop the asparagus, roughly chop the onion, and chop 5 cloves of garlic.

7. 7

   Heat a splash of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the asparagus, onion, and garlic.

8. 8

   Season the vegetables in the pan with salt, grated nutmeg, curry powder, turmeric, and ground coriander. Sauté until the aromatics are softened and the spices are toasted and fragrant.

9. 9

   Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine cook off for a minute or two.

10. 10

    Pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and let cook for about 25 minutes.

11. 11

    Once the simmer is complete and the cauliflower is roasted, transfer the liquid and vegetable mixture to a blender.

12. 12

    Add the deeply roasted cauliflower florets to the blender (reserve a few for garnish if desired).

13. 13

    Blend everything together until the soup is a nice, smooth, and homogenous consistency.

14. 14

    Plate the soup and garnish with pumpkin seeds and crispy bacon bits before serving.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken stock with vegetable stock and omit the bacon garnish. Ensure the cauliflower is roasted until dark golden for the best depth of flavor.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• soup
• autumn
• roasted
• cauliflower
• healthy
• spiced