Curried-Cauliflower Puree with Candied Almonds

This is my favorite soup to serve during the fall.  With cauliflower in season and paired with the warm spices of the curry powder, it truly hits the spot on a chilly autumn evening.  I garnished the soup with candied almonds (cauliflower and almonds are a perfect match) and drizzled it with Major Grey chutney.  The flavors and textures of this soup are amazing--spicy, sweet, velvety smooth and crunchy--and I know it will be one of your fall favorites as well.

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower, cored and broken into florets of even size
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced fresh thyme
1/2 cup white wine
2-3 tsp Madras Curry Powder, or other high quality brand
4-6 cups vegetable stock
1 cup cashew milk (see below) or other non-dairy milk
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Major Grey chutney
Candied almonds
Parsley sprigs
Note:  Purchase a chutney that is smooth instead of chunky.  Spoon about 1/4 cup into a small sauce pan, add 1-2 tbsp water and heat until smooth and pourable.

Method:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss cauliflower florets with 1-2 tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper.  Place on a sheet tray roast until lightly charred about 20 minutes, flipping cauliflower half way through the cooking time.
• In a dutch oven or stock pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and saute onions with a little salt and pepper until soft about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, thyme and deglaze with white wine and cook until almost all the wine is absorbed and onions are creamy.
• Add 4-1/2 cups vegetable stock, and curry powder to taste.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20-30 minutes.
• Stir in cashew milk and heat through and place mixture in a blender and blend until smooth, adding additional stock if needed to get to the right pourable consistency.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and keep warm until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, drizzle with chutney and garnish with almonds and parsley.

Candied Almonds:

1/2 cup sliced raw almonds
3 tbsp agave syrup

Method:

• Heat a small saute pan on medium-low.  Add almonds and agave and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly until syrup has coated the almonds and they are golden brown.  Remove almonds from the pan and spread out on a silpat or parchment paper to cool.  Once cool, break up large chunks and set aside.

Cashew Milk:

1/2 cup raw cashews
1 1/2 cups filtered water
1 tsp agave syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Note:  To give a creamy texture to recipes, cashew milk is my number one choice because of the high-fat content.  You will have some milk left over--you can use it in your morning cereal, add to smoothies or freeze for another use. 

Method:

• Soak cashews for four hours or over night in filtered water.
• Drain water and place cashews in a blender and cover with 1 1/2 cups filtered water.
• Blend on high until smooth.  If you have a high-speed blender, you do not need to strain; otherwise strain before using.