Cauliflower and Parsnip Soup

This soup is the result of my love for cauliflower, the fact that it's really high in vitamin C (and I have a cold) and the lack of cauli recipes out there, save the cheese variety. I thought I'd give it a go and the result was a really creamy texture and taste, with a very flavoursome topping that contrasts well with the subtle cauliflower.

All the soup ingredients are white to keep the colour, so I avoided even pepper and stock and made sure that nothing coloured in the pan - so a low heat in the initial stages is essential.

Ingredients:

for the soup:

Low fat cooking spray

1 onion, chopped

1 tsp crushed garlic

Salt

3 small parsnips, peeled and chopped

1 medium - large head of cauliflower, chopped and any brown bits discarded

1 bayleaf

1 litre of boiling water

for the topping:

Low fat cooking spray

1/2 a small leek (the green end), sliced

6 mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp chilli ( I used the prepared stuff in a tube as it has all the juices t permeate)

1 tsp lemon juice

salt and pepper

2 large sundried tomatoes

Handful of rocket

Paprika

Freshly ground black pepper

Parsley to serve

To make:

1) Heat a pan over a low heat with some cooking spray and add the onions. Cook them very gently and stir constantly to stop them browning. When translucent, add the garlic and salt and a little water to stop sticking.

2) Add cauliflower and the bayleaf and the rest of the water. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for half an hour to make sure everything is really soft.

3) Blend the soup in a blender until smooth, return to the pan and keep on a very low heat, stirring every now and again.

4) Add leeks to a small frying pan with a little cooking spray and stir fry until cooked. Add mushrooms, chilli, lemon juice and seasoning, and stir fry until the mushrooms are browning. Add the sundried tomatoes and rocket and toss until combined and the rocket has wilted.

4) Pour soup into bowls and sprinkle with paprika, place some of the topping on top of each bowl and finish with freshly ground black pepper and parsley.

Served 2/3