The inspiration for this soup came from my friend Nancy. While we were in Florida, she showed me a recipe for a curried cauliflower soup that used a dehydrator to "roast" the veg before adding it to the soup. I'm not a big curry fan, and we didn't have a dehydrator but I couldn't stop thinking about a real roasted cauliflower soup. When I got back to Ohio here is what I came up with:
Roasted Cauliflower Soup
1 head cauliflower cut into small florets
olive oil spray
1/2 cup pearled barley
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 bunch scallions, chopped - both green and white parts
2 cloves garlic- chopped
8 cups veg broth (or water and veg broth cubes)
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
pinch of herbes de provence *optional
salt & pepper to taste
Heat oven to 425. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. This will help prevent the cauliflower from becoming soggy. Add florets to baking sheet and spray lightly with olive oil spray. Roast in oven for 30-40 minutes until tender and nicely browned.
While cauliflower is roasting- add barley, broth, garlic and scallions to a large soup pot. Cook over medium heat until barley is almost done. Add spices and chickpeas and heat through. By this time, cauliflower should be ready. Add to soup, heat for another minute or two then serve.
The smaller you cut the florets, the easier it is to eat!
