Creamy Cauliflower Chowder

It seems kind of crazy to be posting about soup on a day when I left my doors and windows open all day, talked about opening the pool, and worse short sleeves and a skirt... but then again, two weeks ago today, I had a snow day.  #newengland, am I right?

I am sure it will be soup weather again in no time (although, as much as I love soup, I am not rushing it... I love when my house isn't 50 degrees).  When it happens, this soup will go into immediate rotation.   I love cauliflower anything these days, so I was intrigued by this soup.  I recently made a different roasted cauliflower soup, but it was totally pureed, and my favorite soups have some heft to them.  This one isn't pureed at all, so there are cauliflower florets, carrots, onions and celery.  Plus there's dried thyme, roasted garlic, and shredded cheddar cheese.  Are you drooling yet?  It's thick, hearty, and delicious, and it reheats well.

It might not be soup weather today, but if it was, this would be your dinner.  Set it aside for a rainy day; I'm sure it's coming!

Recipe:

creamy cauliflower chowder
from Two Peas and their Pod
serves 6

Ingredients:
1 large head of cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 15-ounce cans vegetable broth
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and black pepper

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place chopped cauliflower and garlic cloves on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until well coated.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Place pan in the oven and roast for 20 - 25 minutes or until cauliflower is tender, stirring once.  Remove from oven and set aside.

2) In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook for 2 - 3 minutes.  Add carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Finely chop the roasted garlic cloves.  Add the garlic, roasted cauliflower, bay leaf, and dried thyme to the pot.  Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir.  Cook until flour disappears.

4) Pour in the vegetable broth and stir.  Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the milk and shredded cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and chowder is creamy.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.