Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Brazil Nut Pesto

Yield:4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

BRAZIL NUT PESTO

• 75 grams Brazil nuts, toasted
• 2 handfuls spinach leaves, stemmed, I used 50 grams frozen
• 4 cloves garlic
• 50 grams Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• generous pinch of fine-grain sea salt

SOUP

• 3 tablespoons clarified butter
  or
  extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped; about 140 grams
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 large potato, peeled and chopped; about 120 grams
• 1 head cauliflower, coarsely chopped; about 1 kg
• 5 cups vegetable stock or water
• 100 grams heavy cream or Cashew Cream
• Fine-grain sea salt

Instructions

1. TO MAKE THE PESTO, puree all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed to make the rest of the flavors come forward.
2. TO MAKE THE SOUP:
   Heat the butter in a soup pot over medium-high heat, add the garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes and saute for 2 or 3 minutes, until translucent. Stir in the potato and cauliflower and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the stock, bring to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat and puree thoroughly with a handheld immersion blender. (If you must use a conventional blender, be careful; the hot liquid can burst out the top and make a huge, potentially painful mess. Try leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Cover the top with a kitchen towel and blend in batches on low speed.) For a silkier texture, push the soup through a sieve or strainer. Stir in the cream and season with salt to taste.

total time: 45 minutes
preparation time: 15 minutes
cooking/baking time: 30 minutes