Cauliflower soup with truffle oil and chives

I have been wanting to do this for a while, but the weather has been too warm, we had a soup party. I made 4 pots of soup and invited some neighbors over to drop in for a visit and have a bowl (or 2) of soup. Soups are so great for this type of party because they can just sit on the stove and simmer.

I also had a little platter of cheese, crackers and sliced apples as well as a loaf of zucchini bread.

I made black bean soup, which I've written about before, french onion soup (ditto), a creamy corn chowder, and a soup that I had years ago and never forgot, pureed cauliflower soup with truffle oil and chives. I made my own version of it which is quite healthy.

The recipe is so easy and everyone said it was their favorite.

Buy 1 head of cauliflower, rinse and cut into smallish pieces.

Saute 1 finely chopped onion in a little olive oil in a large stock pot for 4-5 minutes or until onion is slightly golden. Add 8 cups of chicken stock (2 boxes) to the pot. Add cauliflower, and let boil until soft (about 12-15 minutes, or until a knife can be inserted easily).

Using either a hand blender or a mixer, puree the soup until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper. I used the Chardonay Smoked Fleur De Sel from Whole Foods that is amazing and a generous amount of pepper. Add in about 3-4 Tablespoons of truffle oil, it is very expensive, but so worth the price as the flavor is dramatic and intense.

The trick to this soup is to let it cook for a couple hours on medium low so the flavors develop.

I made the soup up to this point 1 day in advance. Today I put the pot back on the stove on low heat and added in about 1/2 C of finely dived chives.

Continue cooking on low heat until ready to serve. Garnish with a small drizzle of the truffle oil before serving and a small pinch of fresh chives.

This recipe makes a large pot of soup, but it so delicious and HEALTHY you won't feel bad about having 2 or 3 bowls.

Have a soup party, it's a fun way to enjoy your friends.