Creamy Cauliflower & Gruyère Soup

Broccoli makes a nice substitute if you aren't a fan of cauliflower.

Recipe:

2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup white onion, roughly chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 small cauliflower, about 2 lbs, cut into small pieces
5 cups vegetable stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
salt and pepper
freshly chopped parsley

Directions:
Heat the butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes, until the onion has softened but not browned.

Add the cauliflower pieces and stock and bring to a boil. Let boil for about 25 minutes, until the cauliflower is really soft and breaking up in the stock.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and process in batches until smooth. Return the puree to a clean saucepan. Add the cream and cheese and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese has all smoothly melted into the soup.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with (optional) chopped parsley and a bit of sprinkled paprika for presentation.

Tips:  This is very good served with freshly baked crostini, or just a roll of crusty french bread. Also, if you love cheese, you can add quite a bit more without ruining the recipe, or substitute a cheese you prefer to gruyère, which is very strongly flavored and smoky.  Also, you can serve this as a starter but it's quite rich, so serve small bowls if you're planning another course!