Carmelized Cauliflower Soup and Easy Hot Rolls

November is a beautiful of year. The Holidays are almost here, our heaters have come on from the cold weather, and it is time for soup. There is nothing like a hot bowl of soup to make my tummy happy. This recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight meal or great to serve for company on a special occasion.
In my opinion, cauliflower is an under utilized vegetable. Most people walk right by it because they don't know what to do with it. This recipe will make you a cauliflower believer too.

Who needs bread to go along with soup? I do!
Why make the dough from scratch (I have recipes if you want to go through the trouble), when you can make them look and taste like you made them from scratch and your friends and famly will never know the difference. It's hard to believe, but it is true. Read on to find your next favorite best kept secret to making any meal extra special.

CARMELIZED CAULIFLOWER SOUP

 

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 white or yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 head cauliflower, cored and cut into ½ inch pieces
• ½ bunch thyme, stems removed
• 1 tablespoon fine chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
• 2 cups Chardonnay
• 1 cup Madeira
• 1 cup veal or beef stock (vegetable stock optional)
• 2 cups half and half

 

• 2 T dried potato flakes if needed to thicken
• 4 crostini (lightly toasted thin slices of French bread)
• 1 cup grated Fontina or smoked gouda cheese

 

Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until almost caramelized, about 10 minutes.  Sprinkle the sugar and salt over the onions and continue to cook, stirring until they darken.  Put the cauliflower on a sheet pan, sprinkle w/ 1T olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes until caramelized.  Add the thyme and garlic to pot and cook for 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients to pot and cook soup on medium heat for 30 minutes.

Ladle soup into ovenproof bowls, top with the crostini and the cheese.  Place the bowls under a hot broiler until the cheese is bubbly.  Serves 4. 

 

 

Easy Hot Rolls

 

Buy Bridgeford Loaves (comes in a pkg of three loaves and found in freezer section of most grocery stores). Defrost in refrigerator overnight in covered bag so it does not dry out.

 

Divide roll into 10 pieces with a sharp knife and roll each piece into 4 inch long strips. Take each strip and tie in a knot. Place each knot into a greased (shortening or Pam) muffin tin pan. Brush w/ slightly beaten egg and let rise on counter until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve immediately w/ homemade apricot jam and butter.

 

Enjoy!