Every Sunday, you can usually find me wandering the Baltimore Farmers Market bright and early, coffee in hand, browsing the colorful produce stands. Last weekend, a few heads of purple cauliflower caught my eye — vibrant, beautiful, and impossible to pass up. I knew right away they were destined to become a cozy fall meal. Once I got home, I decided to turn them into a creamy, flavorful Purple Cauliflower Soup — a little comfort food to enjoy while cheering on the Ravens.
Ingredients – Yields 5 Servings
- two large purple cauliflowers
- 2 small shallots
- 1 head of garlic
- 8 oz maitake (hen of the woods) mushrooms
- 4 cups chicken stock (can substitute for vegetable stock)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- Good quality olive oil, garnish
- smoked paprika, garnish
- parsley, garnish
- crushed red pepper, garnish
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350
- Remove outer leaves of cauliflower. Wash and cut cauliflower into chunks.
- Cut shallots and garlic into medium sized pieces.
- Cut mushrooms into bite sized pieces and put aside
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Add shallots, cook over low heat, until soft. About 5 minutes.
- Add cauliflower. Stir to coat with olive oil. Cook for about 5 minutes over low heat.
- Add stock and garlic. Bring to boil. Do not cover with a lid.
- Bring heat to a low simmer. Season to taste with salt.
- Cook until cauliflower is soft, about 25 – 35 minutes. It all depends on how large you cut the pieces of cauliflower.
- Place mushrooms on a greased baking sheet (I use Pam Cooking Spray) sprinkled with salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes, flipping half-way through.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender. If you only have a traditional blender, puree in small batches then return to the pan.
- Ladle into serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
- Sprinkle with smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, and parsley.
- Top with roasted mushrooms
This soup is simple, vibrant, and full of earthy flavor. The purple cauliflower from the Baltimore Farmers Market gives it a gorgeous color, while the shallots, garlic, and roasted mushrooms add depth and richness. If you can’t find maitake mushrooms, feel free to substitute any that roast well — cremini or oyster mushrooms work beautifully.
Homemade, hearty, and healthy — this is my kind of Sunday meal.
You can see what other dishes I’m cooking, here.
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Looking for a place to eat? Check out Rachel’s Baltimore Restaurant List.
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