Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Pear and Blue Cheese Recipe (2024)

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Very tasty and smooth cream that can be served either as a side with beef or poultry for example or as a soup, depending on how much cooking water you add. A perfect dish for cheese lovers.

Information on the recipe

There are two tricks in this recipe that makes a smooth and creamy texture, with a wonderful combination of flavors (cauliflower, pear, and French Fourme d’Ambert blue cheese):

  1. Cauliflower is added in two steps, the first half at the beginning, the remaining halfway through the cooking process, remaining then almost uncooked. Once mixed, it becomes creamy and smooth, without adding any cream or milk. This is a trick from my brother living in San Francisco.
  2. Both Cauliflower and blue cheese have a quite strong taste. Pear’s sweetness makes a subtitle flavor balance.

French blue cheese

The blue cheese used in this recipe is the French Fourme d’Ambert. A.O.C. Fourme d’Ambert is made from raw cow’s milk although pasteurized versions are also available now. It has the French A.O.C. label, which means is a name-controlled cheese. Fourme d’Ambert is produced in the Auvergne region of south-central France. The paste is white to straw-colored, with thick pockets of blue throughout the interior paste underneath the rind. It’s not as strong, sticky, or sharp as the well-known Roquefort. Fourme d’Ambert is shaped during production by a wooden mold (“fourme”) into 5 lb. cylinders and is typically aged from 1 to 5 months.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Pear and Blue Cheese Recipe (1)

The recommended blue cheese in this recipe is Fourme d’Ambert. You might want to replace it with Bleu d’Auvergne or the English Stilton. If you choose Roquefort, reduce the quantity of cheese otherwise it’ll be too strong!

I’ve created this recipe for a French cheese festival held in Paris. Attending this kind of event is a great way to taste and discover cheeses and recipes using cheese (such as onion soup au gratin, Croque Monsieur or Croque Madame, Omelette with Gruyère, Goat cheese salad, gougères, soufflé…). There is such an event in the US, have you ever heard about the French cheese and wine week held each year in March in New York?

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Pear and Blue Cheese Recipe (2)

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Pear and Blue Cheese

A very tasty and smooth cream that can be served either as a side with beef or poultry or as a soup, A perfect dish for cheese lovers. Fry shallots, cook with pears and cauliflower added in two stages in water. Blend adding cheese.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course Cheese, Soup

Cuisine French

Servings 6 shares

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 1 cauliflower about 900 gr to 1 kg florets
  • 2 pears ripe (about 500 gr)
  • 100 to 120 gr Blue Cheese + some small pieces for serving, Fourme d’Ambert
  • 6 shallots about 150 gr peeled
  • 25 gr butter

Instructions

  • Start by peeling and dicing shallots. In a large saucepan, melt butter and cook shallots until soften, for about 5 minutes.

  • Meanwhile peel, core and roughly chop pears. Prepare cauliflower by cutting it into florets. Separate florets in two equal parts, keeping a few small florets for dressing.

  • When shallots are soft, boil water in a kettle. In the saucepan add pears, half of the cauliflower and 750 ml water. Bring to a boil and let it simmer. After 10 minutes add the remaining cauliflower and cook for another 10 minutes.

  • Then remove from the gas, add 100 to 120 gr of Fourme d’Ambert blue cheese cut into small pieces and mix with a blender.

  • Two tricks : 1/ if you’re afraid the blue cheese might be too strong, add blue cheese little by little and adjust according to your taste. 2/ remove some of the cooking water and add it back gradually according to the desired texture, more liquid as soup, more dense for a side, a bit like a potatoes purée.

  • Dress according to your taste, for example as on the picture sprinkling small pieces of blue cheese and raw cauliflower florets.

Notes

4 à 8 shares (according to choice soup (for 8) or side (for 4))

If needed, please refer to the conversions and measures article here

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Bon appétit !

If needed, please refer to the conversions and measures article here

If you’re a cauliflower lover, you might also want to taste the classic French soup recipe with cauliflower: crème Du Barry.

Tagged asCauliflowerCheesePear

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Pear and Blue Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my cauliflower soup tasteless? ›

Bland cauliflower soup is a result of a lack of seasoning. Here's how to ensure every bowl is packed with flavor. Season twice with salt and pepper: You'll start by seasoning the cauliflower florets with salt and pepper before roasting.

What is the name of the French soup made from cauliflower? ›

Crème du Barry: Cream of Cauliflower Soup

Called Crème du Barry in France, its name lies in history, like many good French recipes. This easy, rich and creamy soup was named after Madame Jeanne Bécu, comtesse du Barry, a famous French beauty who was the last official mistress of the ill-fated king, Louis XV.

What brings out the Flavour of cauliflower? ›

There are two really simple techniques that bring out the best in cauliflower: grilling and pickling. Dumping cauliflower florets in a mixture of salt and lemon juice for 45 minutes to an hour turns them into spiky little flavor bombs, delivering high-pitched squeaks in salads, sandwiches or the stew recipe here.

How do you add depth of flavor to soup? ›

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

How do you thicken cauliflower soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Why is it called Creme du Barry? ›

The use of stock makes it a velouté; the addition of cream and an egg-yolk makes it a crème. It is named for Madame du Barry, mistress of King Louis XV of France.

What is the mother soup? ›

Initially, Pickowicz posted an Instagram story inquiring if any of her followers also had a "mother soup," which she noted as something that "she had been continuously cooking and feeding with new ingredients." Her original "soup mother" IG story defines a soup mother process as such: "I eat all my soup except for 10% ...

How does Gordon Ramsay make cauliflower soup? ›

Directions
  1. Place the cauliflower florets, potato, and onion in a saucepan with the butter and oil. ...
  2. Add the stock and bring to a boil, then pour in the milk and return gently to a boil. ...
  3. Pour in half the cream, then puree in a food processor or blender, or blend in the pan with an immersion blender.

Why do you soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

This process – which should last 10-20 minutes - destroys several microbes and large parasites. As cauliflower is highly susceptible to microbial attacks, it should be washed once again. This time, boil some water and put the cauliflower florets in it. Keep for five minutes and remove from the hot water.

What is broccoli and cauliflower together called? ›

Romanesco, also known as broccoflower or Roman cauliflower, is a chartreuse, unique-looking vegetable prized for its appearance and mild flavor. It is sometimes assumed to be a hybrid between broccoli and cauliflower but is botanically different (although related).

How do I fix bland tasting soup? ›

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl. Our Lemony Chicken Soup will make your mouth water.

How do you fix tasteless vegetable soup? ›

Roast or caramelize your vegetables before adding them to your soup to bring out their natural sweetness. Add ingredients like mushrooms, tomatoes, soy sauce, miso, or seaweed to enhance the flavor of your soup. Use fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil or thyme to add fresh flavor to your soup.

What gives vegetable soup that depth of flavor? ›

**Herbs and Spices:** Use a variety of herbs and spices such as thyme, rosemary, oregano, bay leaves, cumin, coriander, or smoked paprika to enhance the taste. 3. **Broth or Stock:** Choose a flavorful broth or stock as the soup base. Vegetable, mushroom, or a combination of vegetable and chicken broth can add depth.

What to add to flavorless vegetable soup? ›

Fresh ginger and garlic. Soy sauce or hoisin (common in Vietnamese soups) The juice of half a fresh lemon or full lime. Fresh, sliced hot peppers, fresh sliced green onion, bean sprouts.

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