White Bean and Cauliflower Soup with Truffle Oil

Method

“This luxuriously creamy soup is perfect for winter!,” say Richard Landau and Kate Jacoby in their book, Horizons: New Vegan Cuisine (2007). They love truffle oil, but warn, ”Don’t buy a cheap one—there is a huge difference in quality. Buy a quality truffle oil and it will be your friend for life”

• 2 quarts vegetable stock
• 2 heads cauliflower, leaves and center stem removed, florets separated and stems chopped
• 2 (16-ounce) cans of white beans, drained and rinsed (cannellini, great northern, or navy)
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup white wine
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• White truffle oil
• Fresh herbs for garnish (chives or parsley)

In a large pot, bring stock, cauliflower, white beans, potatoes, onions, white wine, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and sage to a simmer for 15 minutes, or until potatoes and cauliflower are tender. Add the rosemary and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Then remove and discard the rosemary.

Purée the soup in a blender, or use an immersion blender.

Serve the soup in bowls with a generous drizzle of white truffle oil and garnish with fresh herbs.

Yield

8 servings