Creamy cauliflower soup gets all dressed up with chive oil and fried capers, with a warm loaf of spicy garlic bread to dunk in it!
Oh Monday. The things you drive us to.
Like, some people drag themselves to the gym because they feel really crappy after their weekend of hangovers and sugar and butter and beer.
Or swear off all cupcakes ever again.
Or re-resolve all of their resolutions that they broke over the past two days.
Or inhale soup that is 75% vegetable, 15% butter, 10% fried capers and really just an excuse to shove bread into your face like it’s your job.
Homemade spicy Italian garlic bread that you maybe made just a tad too spicy for your fiance’s taste so that you can bite into it like it’s an apple.
Hmmm, what? Oh no I would never do that. I’m just saying. I could see how someone would.
And if you just so happened to make this whole loaf into a single serving bread bowl, I would support you in your endeavor.
This soup is pretty much all vegetable anyway (not that you would know it because it tastes like ALL THE CREAM jumped in there. But didn’t).
Moderation. Just saying.
One year ago…Pink Champagne Cake
Two years ago…Thai Panang Vegetable Curry, Peppermint Brownies
Three years ago…Whole Wheat Pasta with Butternut Squash, Ground Lamb, and Halloumi
Four years ago…Crockpot Tofu, Tempeh, and Peanut Butter Squash Mole
- 1 sweet onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup capers, drained and patted dry
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup chopped chives
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp butter with olive oil. Add in the onion, along with a pinch of salt, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the cauliflower and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer for 20-25 minutes or until cauliflower is soft.
- Puree with an immersion blender. Add in the milk and water, stirring until incorporated. Stir in remaining butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- To fry the capers, add a tsp of olive oil to a small skillet. Add the dry capers and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan frequently, until they start to brown. Set on a paper towel to dry and cool.
- To make the chive oil, combine the chives and olive oil in a food processor and puree. Push through a strainer into a small bowl.
- To serve, divide the soup among four bowls and top with capers and some chive oil.
- 1 cup warm water
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- pinch of sugar
- 4 oz butter, melted
- ¾ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp tuscan or Italian seasoning blend
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
- 4 cups bread flour
- a few pinches coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- In a small bowl, whisk together the water, yeast, and sugar. Allow to rest until mixture begins to become foamy. If yeast never foams, then it has gone bad - get new yeast.
- Stir together the (hot) melted butter with the red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and garlic. Set aside.
- Put the flour in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a bread hook. Stir in the salt and pepper. Pour in the yeast and butter mixtures. Stir on low speed (with the dough hook) for 10-12 minutes. The dough should not stick to the sides of the bowl, and it should be smooth and easy to work with.
- Place the dough in a large greased bowl. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow to rest and rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Heat oven to 450.
- Knead the dough for about 2 minutes.
- Grease a large Dutch oven. Form the dough into a ball and place in the Dutch oven. Cut two slits in the top of it with a scissor. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 30 minutes. Reduce oven to 400. Remove the lid and cook for about 15-20 minutes more.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to remove it from the pan.
Yes, yes, yeeeees! As you know it’s been frigging freezing here and all I want is soup!!! This looks perfect, lady.
Soup plus bread = best winter meal. I can’t blame you for “accidentally” making the bread too spicy for the Boy.
Suggesting I use a whole loaf of bread as a bread bowl? It’s like you know me! This sounds delicious. I’m in some serious need of vegetables after 2 weeks of doing whatever and eating whatever I want, so bring on the cauliflower.
MMMM I’ve never tried cauliflower soup but this looks amazing! Must try.
this looks so good. I’d eat it this early in the morning if I had it at my house! I need to make cauliflower soup. I made some last year and had a blender malfunction leaving me with awkwardly chunky soup. I must redeem myself!
All I’ve been eating is soup + bread and /or grilled cheese for dinner. Too cold to deal with anything else. Cauliflower has that magical powder to make all things creamy without the cream.
I love cauliflower soup, and your version seriously looks amaaaazing. And easy too! And that bread? I think I could eat a whole loaf myself…
I love cauliflower soup – your chive oil is such a nice touch!
Bread dipped in creamy soup is my love language. YUM!
dunking a good bread in a creamy soup is plain happiness 🙂
Love cauliflower soup – I wish I had a link saved to share with you, but some blogger years ago did a side by side comparison between butter and olive oil for making cauliflower soup. It is too early and I don’t remember what she found out. Now, am I a helpful commenter or what?
Great loaf of bread! perfect for the soup, I am also pretty interested in the chive oil, looked amazing floating on top
I’d say yes to this lovely soup at anytime (bread too).
p.s. Happy 2014 🙂
Oh yes! I’m so trying this.
I’ve been on a major cauliflower kick lately (a huge one I mean: I’ve gone trough three heads of it in a couple of days whoops) and this soup needs to be in my menu.
Have a nice week! xx
I love everything about this….I need that oil immediately!
Is it lunchtime yet?! Looks so good.
OMG this is PERFECT for a day like today! I sooooo need this soup! I am totally gonna try this, or something like it! YUMMM!
what a delicious looking soup, joanne! perfect for this crazy cold weather.
I’m definitely going to make this bread. But I will have to use more pepper flakes. 3/4 tsp just doesn’t seem enough. *smile*
I am on a soup kick too! I will definitely make this one soon!! And I’ve adopted your bread/soup combo – so sensible.
Really I love cauliflower and always we enjoy in salads or tortillas!
This soup look delicious!!
And love the bread too!!
Doing a Whole 30 right now so cauliflower is my JAM. It’s a good sub for just about anything. This soup looks delish, too!
Putting this soup in that garlic bread as a bread bowl = MIND BLOWN. So much deliciousness.
I have never even thought about toasting capers! It’s an interesting idea I’m going to have to experiment with.
This is perfect comfort food for a chilly day like today! Love that bread!
Love the chive oil. Cauliflower is so versatile and great for soup – this sounds so good!
Now this is a soup I can get behind! Beautiful photographs and tempting recipe! Perfect for this cold front the county seems to be facing. Thank you for sharing Joanne! xoxo
Mmmm warm, comforting, wholesome goodness!!! In these freezing temps I can’t think of anything but soup. Looks fabulous, Joanne.
Happy New Year!!! It’s been such a crazy year but I’m looking forward to reconnecting with my old bloggy friends. Cheers to a healthy and prosperous 2014.
Toodles,
Tammy<3
I can’t say no to spicy garlic bread. I can’t believe you made the bread yourself, that’s so awesome! I’m too scared of yeast, haha.
Ooo that looks delicious!
I actually love cauliflower soup, but I haven’t had any in ages. For some reason I keep forgetting to buy cauliflower. Will add it to my shopping list for next week for sure.
{Teffy’s Perks} X
Hey Joanne this happens to be one of my favorite soup and I have a head in the fridge so you just gave me my menu for dinner tonight – which happens to be perfect for a Monday night!
Thanks ….
I’m not sure if I’m more in love with this soup or the spicy garlic bread! I want it all!
This sounds brilliant!
The flavours sound wonderful in this! Oh and that bread!
I pretty much live for soup and crust bread to dip into it. Dying for that bread.
Goodness that looks so mellow and creamy ! Xx
Love the chive oil! I’d probably eat the whole pot of soup and that whole loaf of bread in one sitting.
Both the bread & soup sound so delicious right now!
Cauliflower is such a wonderful vegetable – pizza crust, roasted and in this soup – its brilliant!
I would make that loaf into a bread bowl. Done.
I love the toppings you’ve made for your cauliflower soup! The oil is so pretty and the fried capers sound pretty awesome!
Ugh – this Monday made me want to crawl up into a ball on my couch with my big fleece blanket and never get off. Except for food. Priorities. This soup looks delightful – I’ve been loving cauliflower lately.
Omg that loaf of bread looks so good, mmm I love me some carbs on a Monday!
The best part about soup is the bread dunking! I love the idea of the fried capers on this!
Hooray for thick, creamy vegetable soups in the dead of winter! That chive oil looks so spectacular against the white soup. 🙂
Cauliflower soup!! I don’t even know if I’ve ever heard of this. Sounds so good and creamy!
So intrigued by the chive oil in the cauliflower soup!
Oh yes!! Soup and bread is all I need for this cold. And I would so have this all in a bread bowl.
Who doesn’t want soup in this chilly weather?
A delicious bread is a must with a yummy soup, in my book. I am not sure which recipe sound more delicious.
I want the weather to change so that I can try this! Yum 🙂
A super comforting soup, Joanne…the chive oil is such a great touch.
Brilliant as always, Joanne. We grow heaps of cauliflower in winter – I’ll be bookmarking this for next season. Love the idea of chive oil – we usually put a bit of dijon mustard in ours, but this oil will be a great new addition.
bread is often the best thing about soup – love it and could live on soup and bread all year round and let’s face it there are heaps worse things I could be eating – but I would be with the boy in avoiding too much spice – just lots of garlic for me please
Yum! Going to try this with some almond milk, can’t wait!
Now this is MY type of dunking! Looks perfect for this nasty weather, too!
I’m all about making soup so that you can eat a big piece of bread with it. Spicy garlic bread sounds like it’ll be the next bread on my list.
Love the idea of adding fried capers. I made a cauliflower soup with fried cauliflower florets — I bet both together would divine! The bread looks amazing too!
That cauliflower soup looks so creamy and luscious- Completely my kind of everyday dinner indulgence. I could have really used a giant bowl of this today to take off the chill!
I could dive headfirst into a big vat of this with a piece of bread in each hand! Perfect to drive the chill out of my bones! Fried capers rule. 🙂
I’m so behind on my blog reading. GAH. Stop posting awesome stuff and I won’t feel so guilty. Also? You always make me want to start baking bread. This is the year! Although, didn’t I say that last year…
Beautiful soup Joanne! I’m really digging that chive oil. And the cauliflower soup look so luscious! Pinned. 🙂
great way to consume cauliflower! i really like the chive oil, both for looks and flavor!
Awwww, I love de-tox warm comforting food like this! Especially the ones from our families, they are treasured memories! Your soup looks AWESOME! My weakness is cauliflower, so I want to devour that bowl full:-) Yum, Hugs,
Oh yum, this is mouthwatering! The soup and the bread is just perfection 🙂
Cauliflower is one of my fave veggies…so I like it in all forms. This soup looks fantastic and I can already imagine dipping that delicious garlic bread into it….