Cauliflower Truffle Soup

The cauliflower that I have seen lately has really been great. Farmer's markets have it and...I just got a couple heads for a fabulous deal (at Stanley's) for only $.29 per pound. Because I bought quite a lot and wanted to use it before it went south on me, I decided to make a soup. I added some pecorino cheese and truffle oil at the end to make it special.
First, I sauteed some onion and a little celery, added a bunch of fresh herbs, then the chopped up cauliflower with some chicken stock and simmered it until the cauliflower was tender. Once it was, I removed the herb stems and pureed the soup with one of my favorite kitchen tools, my hand blender. I added some shredded pecorino cheese and the truffle oil...mmm.

Cauliflower Soup with Truffles

1 large head cauliflower, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
5 sprigs of thyme
1/4 cup parsley on stems
2 bay leaves
5 cups chicken stock
2 T olive oil
1 cup shredded pecorino cheese
truffle oil to drizzle

Saute the onion and celery in olive oil until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add herbs and saute for another minute. Add cauliflower and chicken stock (can use vegetable stock or water), bring to a boil for one minute, turn down heat and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 20-30 minutes. Turn off heat and blend using a hand blender or regular blender. Before serving, add several drops of truffle oil to each bowl.