Orange Cauliflower and Fuji Apple Soup with Sage Cream and Aged Cheddar Tuiles

This is the second course I served at my family’s Thanksgiving dinner. (I know the photo isn't great; it's hard to tell your hungry family that they need to wait another 5 minutes because you need to take your food to an area with better lighting in order to photograph it. And check out my parents' now-antique china from the '70s!)

 Last year, I made a swirled roasted purple and orange cauliflower soup, and my family loved it. They requested that I make it again this year, but I decided to elevate it this time around by adding more flavors while taking care to not overwhelm the delicate flavor of the roasted cauliflower.


The delicate sweetness of Fuji apples blended perfectly with the nuttiness of the roasted cauliflower, the crisp and salty tuile provided a wonderful contrast to the mild and creamy soup, and the sage cream provided a bit of richness and earthiness. This one is definitely going to make an appearance on the table next year.

Orange Cauliflower and Fuji Apple Soup with
Sage Cream and Aged Cheddar Tuiles
(serves 6)

1 medium orange cauliflower, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium white onion, finely chopped (a little more than 1 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2 Fuji apples, coarsely chopped
6 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon white pepper, plus more to taste
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons freshly chopped sage
2 ounces aged cheddar cheese (I used a 6 year cave-aged cheddar from Hawk's Hill creamery, a local creamery here in MD that sells at the market under the JFX, and I've seen their cheeses at Whole Foods)
6 small sage leaves for garnish

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Heat oven to 450° F.

Toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons oil. Spread the cauliflower in an even layer in a foil-lined baking pan. Roast the cauliflower for 30 minutes, tossing a few times.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350° F.

15 minutes before the cauliflower is done, heat the butter and canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sage and cook until the onion is very soft, about 6-7 minutes. Add the chopped apple and cook for another 6-7 minutes.

Add the roasted cauliflower, 4 cups of the stock, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon white pepper. Cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.

While the soup is cooking, combine the heavy cream and sage in a small saucepan. Bring the cream to a simmer over medium-low heat, and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove the cream from the heat and let the sage steep in the cream for 20 minutes. Strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve.

Let the soup cool for 20 minutes, then blend it in 3 batches, adding 2/3 cup stock to each batch. When all the soup has been blended, add more salt and pepper to taste.

In the meantime, shred the cheese using the smallest holes of a box grater. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the cheese into 6 equal portions and sprinkle each portion onto the parchment in a large round. Bake the tuiles for 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the tuiles cool on the pan for 1 minute. Move the parchment from the pan to a cool surface and let the tuiles cool completely.

Top each serving of soup with a spoonful of the sage cream and garnish with a sage leaf and a tuile.