This is a really heart soothing soup, the truffle oil really elevates this dish so if you have it then be sure to use it. To make a pure cauliflower soup you can omit the parsnip and replace with equivalent cauliflower and vice versa. To make it vegetarian omit the pancetta crumbs and replace with croutons and swap the chicken stock for vegetable stock.
Truffled Cauliflower and Parsnip Soup w Pancetta Crumbs
2016-03-28 15:28:18
Serves 6
Prep Time
20 hr
Cook Time
30 hr
Total Time
50 min
Cauliflower and Parsnip Soup
- 3Tbs Butter
- 2cloves Garlic
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1/2 Cauliflower (or 1 whole small one)
- 3-4 Parsnips
- 500ml Milk
- 500ml White Chicken Stock
- Salt and White Pepper
- Truffle Oil
Pancetta Crumbs
- 1Tbs Olive oil
- 4 slices Pancetta (or can replace with Salami etc)
- 1/2clove garlic
- 1Tbs Chopped Parsley
- 1tsp Chopped Thyme
- 1/4C Breadcrumbs (preferably panko or home made)
For the Soup
- Sweat the chopped garlic and the chopped parsnip in the butter over a low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the stock and bay leaves and simmer for 10-15mins until the parsnip is nearly cooked. Add the chopped cauliflower and the milk and simmer over a low heat until both the cauliflower and the parsnip are very soft and fully cooked. If at any time the liquid reduces too much during cooking and the vegetables are no longer covered you can just top it up with some more stock or water. Remove the bay leaves and puree in a blender or use a stick blender. Add more milk if the soup is too thick and season with salt and white pepper to taste.
For the Pancetta Crumbs
- Finely chop the garlic and the pancetta and fry in the olive oil until golden brown. Add the breadcrumbs and chopped thyme and cook until all is golden brown. Drain on a paper towel then in a small bowl mix through the chopped parsley.
To Serve
- Serve the soup piping hot in warmed bowls with a generous drizzle of the truffle oil and a good sprinkling of the crumbs on top.
MacLean Fraser http://macleanfraser.com/
