Cauliflower Soup with Parmesan Crisps

Very nice taste, simple, fast, crisps were good but didn’t really crisp

Soup ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 quart chicken stock(I use home-made, of course)
  
• 1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan
• Salt and black pepper

Crisps ingredient:

• 1 cup shredded Parmesan

Directions for soup

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic.

Cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Remove the leaves and thick core from the cauliflower, coarsely chop.

Add cauliflower and stock to pot and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and, using a hand held immersion blender, puree the soup (or puree in small batches in a blender).

Add the Parmesan and stir until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.

Directions for parmesan crisps:

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Spread the shredded cheese over the foil in 1 even thin layer.

Bake about 10 minutes until golden brown and crisp.

Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes.

Break sheet of crisp cheese into large pieces and garnish each soup bowl with a couple shards.

Blackberry-Basil Crumble

I made this recipe with blackberries I picked when I visited Arianna in Northampton a few weeks ago. The blackberry/basil combination is really good and definitely different! This is adapted from a recipe in one of my favorite books, "Animal Vegetable Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver. Enjoy!

• 4 cups blackberries (optional: use half blackberries and half apples - peeled and cut into small chunks)
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  
• 1 large handful of basil leaves, chopped
  
• 1⁄4 cup honey – or more, depending on tartness of your berries

Preheat oven to 400. Combine the above in an oven-proof casserole dish, mix
and set aside.

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup oats
  
• 3 heaping tbsp brown sugar
  
• 1 stick cold butter
  
• Pinch of salt
  

Cut butter into flour and sugar, then rub with your fingers to make a chunky, crumbly mixture (not uniform). Sprinkle it over the top of the fruit, bake 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Devour!