Cauliflower, Leek and Chevre Jack Cheese Soup

Soup! It is that time of year again! It is also that time of year to find new ways to eat cauliflower. This one was very easy, used a ton of the seasonal vegetables I had gotten in my CSA box and has been good as a leftover dish all week!

Who doesn't like soup?!
It is likely my favorite -
Comforting and warm.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large leek, white and light green part only, thinly sliced
• 2 medium organic carrots, chopped
• 2 medium celery stalks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp finely chopped thyme
• 1 pound cauliflower florets, chopped
• 4 cups quality organic vegetable or chicken broth
• 4 oz chevre jack-style cheese, shredded
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add leeks, carrots, and celery and saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add cauliflower and broth, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Puree mixture in the work bowl of a food processor or blender. Return to pot over very low heat. Add cheese and continue cooking just until cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

I didn't puree the entire pot of soup, leaving it a little chunky, which was nice. This was really good with sweet potato fries and salad . When microwaving leftovers, add a few bits of grated cheese to the top once it is hot.

Recipe taken from Mariel Hemingway's book Mariel's Kitchen.