This silky-smooth cauliflower soup with sharp, cheesy accents is exactly what you need on a chilly day. It can easily be ready in under an hour. Serve with a nice crusty cob and a side salad for a complete meal! This recipe makes approximately 8-10 cups of hearty soup.

Ingredients:

• 2 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 large potatoes, cut in chunks (about 2 cups)
• 1 head cauliflower, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 T safflower oil
• 1 tsp dill weed
• ¼ tsp dry mustard
• ½ tsp caraway seed
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 5 cups milk
• 1 ½ cups cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 T butter
• 1 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, sauté the onions, carrot, potatoes, cauliflower, and garlic with the oil and the salt until the vegetables are tender. Add the dill weed, dry mustard, caraway seed, and black pepper. Stir well and heat 1-2 minutes. Add the milk. In a blender or food processor, puree until smooth and creamy. Return to the soup pot and gently heat.
2. While the soup is heating, sauté the cauliflower florets in the butter until soft and golden. Set aside.
3. When the soup is hot, whisk in the cheddar. Just before serving, whisk in the buttermilk and top the soup with the sautéed cauliflower.