Name: Roast garlic, cheddar and ale soup with fried cauliflower
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 110 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 2 heads garlic, whole, plus 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 20 gm butter, diced; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 leek (white part only), thinly sliced; 600 ml chicken stock; 150 ml pale ale; 4 thyme sprigs, plus 1 tbsp thyme; 500 gm cauliflower, broken into florets; 200 ml milk; 150 ml pouring cream; 150 gm aged cheddar, coarsely grated; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; For shallow-frying: vegetable oil; ½ tsp smoked paprika; Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Roast garlic, cheddar and ale soup with fried cauliflower

With two whole bulbs of garlic, and then some, this is for garlic-lovers only.

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

25M

Cook

1H 50M

Total

2H 15M

Something like a wholemeal walnut loaf would be perfect for mopping up the last mouthfuls of this rich, savoury soup. No kissing afterwards.

Ingredients

2 heads garlic, whole, plus 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

20 gm butter, diced

1 onion, finely chopped

1 leek (white part only), thinly sliced

600 ml chicken stock

150 ml pale ale

4 thyme sprigs, plus 1 tbsp thyme

500 gm cauliflower, broken into florets

200 ml milk

150 ml pouring cream

150 gm aged cheddar, coarsely grated

1 tsp Dijon mustard

For shallow-frying: vegetable oil

½ tsp smoked paprika

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 180C. Drizzle garlic heads with a little oil then wrap in foil and roast until very soft (45-55 minutes). Set aside.

2.Heat olive oil and butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add onion, leek and chopped garlic and sauté until tender (10-12 minutes). Add stock, ale, thyme sprigs and 350gm cauliflower, cover and simmer until very tender (20-25 minutes). Remove lid, squeeze roast garlic cloves into soup, add milk and simmer until thick (8-10 minutes). Blend with a hand-held blender, add cream, cheddar and mustard, and stir until cheese melts (1-2 minutes). Season to taste and keep warm.

3.Heat 1.5cm vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and shallow-fry remaining cauliflower in batches, turning, until golden all over (1-2 minutes). Drain on paper towels, then transfer to a bowl and scatter with thyme, paprika and lemon rind, season to taste and toss to combine. Serve soup scattered with fried cauliflower mixture.

Styling by Emma Knowles

Styling by Alice Storey