- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 550g of cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 2 leeks, thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1/3 cup of chopped celery
- 1/4 cup of chopped speck or bacon (+ whole rind - but completely optional)*
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 2 x 400g cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 large or 2 small chicken stock cubes
- 6 cups of boiling water
- 1 bay leaf (fresh or dry)
- In a large heavy based pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, until it starts shimmering. Add bacon/speck (if using) and fry for a few minutes or just until slightly caramelised. If not using, go straight to step 2.
- Add the leeks, onion, garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Make sure to season.
- Add the celery and carrot and cook for 2-3 minutes. Season. Crumble in the stock cube.
- Add the bay leaf and cauliflower, season, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add beans and season slightly and fry for 1 minute.
- Add the boiling water. Bring to the boil then turn down the heat to low and simmer for about 20-25 minutes or just until all the veggies are soft. REMOVE BAY LEAF BEFORE BLENDING!
- Using a stick blender/processor purée the soup until creamy.
Serve with you favourite condiments.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve with croutons, warm crusty bread, a swirl of Greek yoghurt, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, nutritional yeast flakes AND/OR toasted pumpkin seeds.
Notes & Modifications:
To make Vegan: omit the speck/bacon and use a vegetable stock cube instead of chicken.
Sourced from @thegirlinthegreenapron
