{A Vegan Recipe}

This might look subtle but the roasting process brings out some pretty big flavors… and in a surprisingly little amount of time. The short version of this recipe is: Roast. Blend.

serves about 3 as a main course, 4-5 as a smaller side

INGREDIENTS:

about 2 cups chopped cauliflower
2-3 leeks, chopped, white and very light green parts (about 1 to 1.5 cups)
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews (ideally pre-soaked)
1.5 teaspoons miso paste (or just salt if you don’t have any)
leaves from a few sprigs of marjoram or thyme
3 cups of water
2 tablespoons more olive oil (to blend into the soup)
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika (or more to taste)
squeeze of lemon
a few more pinches of salt
red pepper flakes (optional)
splash of white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar if you made yours too spicy

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread cauliflower, leeks and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a few pinches of salt & pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes, rotating halfway through. Remove when everything is starting to turn golden, but before the leeks are burning (if a few get too charred, it’s ok, just pick them out later).

Add to your blender (a Vitamix ideally), the veggies you just roasted, drained cashews, marjoram leaves, miso paste, a squeeze of lemon and half the water (1.5 cups). Blend until pureed. Add olive oil, paprika, and the rest of the water. Blend again. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Pour into a medium saucepan and heat just until it’s warm. Stir in a little more water if it’s too thick. Serve with bread on the side. Bon appetit!