Cauliflower Soup With Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Ingredients

1 fresh or dried bay leaf

4 whole cloves

1 3/4 cups homemade or canned low-sodium chicken stock

1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 1-inch florets

1 russet potato, peeled and quartered

1 bulb fennel, trimmed and chopped into 2-inch pieces

1 large white onion, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup milk

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

1/4 cup pumpkinseed oil (optional)

Preparation

Wrap bay leaf and cloves in cheesecloth; tie with kitchen twine. Place in a large saucepan; add stock, cauliflower, potato, fennel, onion, and 5 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Discard clove bundle.

Working in batches, filling a blender no more than halfway, puree soup until smooth. Return soup to saucepan; stir in milk. Place over medium heat until just heated through (do not boil). Add nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle soup with pumpkin seeds, and drizzle with pumpkinseed oil, if desired. Serve hot or at room temperature.