Cauliflower soup with cumin and orange

Cauliflower soup with cumin and orange

Winter

Taking a moment to notice something natural is very good for us. Take a cauliflower. Have you ever just stared at one close up, studied its intricate form? It’s truly beautiful. The Romanesco, or Roman cauliflower, as it’s sometimes known, with its vivid green, spiralling florets within florets, is even more striking. I’ve used regular cauliflower in this soup, but Romanesco would work very well too.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the topping

  • 1 large cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
  • 25g (1oz) skinned hazelnuts, roughly bashed
  • 1 garlic clove, thickly sliced
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely crushed
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
  • 1 handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the soup

  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 white potato, cut into 2–3cm (¾–1¼in) dice
  • 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • Pinch of chilli flakes
  • Finely grated zest of 1 orange
  • 750ml (26fl oz) vegetable stock

Method

First, make the cauliflower topping. Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/ 425°F/gas mark 7. Place one quarter of the cauliflower florets in a medium roasting tin. Set the remainder aside for the soup. Add the bashed hazelnuts, thickly sliced garlic and crushed cumin seeds to the tin, trickle with the tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Tumble everything around the tray and roast for 15 minutes, until the cauliflower is lightly scorched and crisping at the edges. Set aside until the soup is ready.

While the cauliflower is roasting, start the soup. Place a large, heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil and, when it’s hot, add the reserved cauliflower, along with the potato, onion, garlic, cumin seeds, chilli flakes and orange zest and season lightly. Cook the vegetables for 10–15 minutes, stirring regularly, then pour in the stock. Bring the soup up to the simmer and let it cook for a further 15–20 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender. Purée the soup in a jug blender until it’s smooth and creamy, then return it to the pan and pop it back on the heat. Season well with salt and pepper, to taste.

Scatter the chopped parsley leaves over the roasted cauliflower mixture, then use a spatula to combine everything together.

Ladle the soup into warm bowls and finish with a spoonful of the roasted cauliflower mixture, a trickle of olive oil and a twist of black pepper.

Back to Membership