Cauliflower Cheese Soup, Polanaise Crumbs

INGREDIENTS

Cauliflower Cheese Soup:

• Whole cauliflower
• 2 garlic cloves
• Half a pint of milk
• Too much butter
• Generous handful of parmesan
• Generous handful of cheddar
• Dash of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
• 1-2 tsps Coleman’s English mustard
• Splash of double cream
• Generous pinch of sea salt
• Glug of olive oil

Polanaise Crumbs:

• Generous handful of bread shards / crumbs
• Handful of grated raw cauliflower
• Half a lemon zest
• Garlic clove
• 2 soft boiled eggs
• Child’s handful of shredded parsley
• Sea salt to taste
• Milled black pepper to taste

MISE EN PLACE

• Chop cauliflower into small florets
• Peel garlic cloves and keep whole
• Boil eggs for 7 minutes and plunge into cold water. Chop into small bits (not finely).
• Tear bread into shards / make crumbs
• Finely slice 1 garlic clove
• Finely shred parsley
• Zest half a lemon
• Cut half a pat of butter into cubes
• Finely grate the parmesan and cheddar
• Measure the milk and pour into saucepan
• Ready the double cream, Lea & Perrins and mustard
• Plug in liquidiser

METHOD

• Chop cauliflower into small florets and add to the saucepan of milk (add a splash of water), along with a few cubes of butter and the garlic cloves.
• Season with sea salt and simmer on a medium heat until soft.
• Drain the liquid and reserve.
• Add the cauliflower and garlic to the liquidiser along with some of the liquid and more butter. Blitz on high until blended.
• Add the generous handfuls of parmesan and cheddar, then a dash of Lea & Perrins and teaspoon of mustard to taste – adding more butter and liquid as needed.
• Blitz on high until you get a silky consistency, adding a cube of butter to achieve final glossiness.

For the Polonaise:

• Add a generous handful of bread shards / crumbs to a pan of butter and fry until golden.
• Cool whilst adding the grated cauliflower.
• Add finely grated lemon zest and thinly sliced garlic.
• Add chopped egg and shredded parsley.
• Grind black pepper and sea salt to taste.

Pour the soup from the liquidiser into a pan and heat, stirring with a whisk for ultimate glossiness.  Add more mustard and cheese to taste. Sprinkle Polonaise crumbs all over and a glug of olive oil.

BATTERIE DE CUISINE

• Cooking pot
• Wooden spoon
• Box grater
• Liquidiser
• Knife
• Chopping board
• Ladle
• Serving vessel
• Bowls
• Pepper mill
• Tea towel