Pic of Cauliflower soup with blue cheese, pickled pear & walnuts

Cauliflower soup with blue cheese, pickled pear & walnuts

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Soups & stews

Cauliflower soup with blue cheese, pickled pear & walnuts

Serves 4 40 min
The mild cauliflower becomes a backdrop for the complementary pairing of creamy blue cheese and sharp/sweet pickle. You’ll need to make the pickle ahead of time, it can keep for up to a week in the fridge.

Ingredients

For the pickled pear:

  • 100ml red wine vinegar
  • 50g sugar
  • 1 firm pear, cut into matchsticks
  • ½ small red onion, finely sliced

For the cauliflower soup

  • oil for frying
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 2 celery sticks, finely diced
  • salt
  • 1 large cauliflower, broken into florets
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 lemon
  • 100g blue cheese
  • 30g walnuts, toasted and chopped

Method

Prep time: 10 min
Cooking time: 30 min

Pickled pear

  • Step 1

    To make the pickled pear in advance, warm the vinegar and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the pear and onion. Add a good pinch of salt and leave for at least an hour, preferably overnight.

Soup

  • Step 1

    Warm 2 tablespoons of oil in a deep pan. Add the onions, celery and a pinch of salt. Cook gently for 10 minutes, until starting to soften.

  • Step 2

    Add the cauliflower, garlic and bay. Cook for 5 more minutes.

  • Step 3

    Tip in the stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until everything is soft and tender.

  • Step 4

    Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the mustard and a squeeze of lemon juice. Blend the soup until completely smooth. Add a dash of water if it seems too thick.

  • Step 5

    Taste and tweak with more salt and lemon to your liking.

  • Step 6

    To serve, divide between 4 bowls and garnish with some pickled pear, crumbled cheese and walnuts.

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