Healthy Recipe Week: Batter Licker

A Boston restaurant-inspired recipe is today’s Healthy Recipe Week feature!Kristen from the delicious blog Batter Licker visits Boston a couple times a year, and her Roasted Cauliflower and Sunchoke Soup was inspired by a visit to Boston’s very own L’Espalier.

This soup is the perfect recipe to close out Healthy Recipe Week as it is versatile, can be made in advance, can easily be made vegan or can go the opposite direction and be made with milk and topped with crispy pancetta!

Thank you to everyone who emailed a recipe for Healthy Recipe Week! I always welcome guest posts, so please feel free to email me with ideas!

I hope you are all having a wonderful spring weekend!

Roasted Cauliflower and Sunchoke Soup
Makes 4 servings

1 head cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 2 1/2 c.)
3 large sunchokes, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 1 1/2 c.)
3 cloves garlic, whole
1 c. water, divided (or 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided)
juice from one lemon (I used Meyer lemon)
1 yellow onion, chopped (about 1 c.)
3 to 4 c. low-sodium vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 c. unsweetened soy or almond milk (or regular milk)
1 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 c. radish sprouts (or other favorite sprouts; or 1/2 c. chopped and browned pancetta for meat eaters)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400F.

Mix 1/2 c. water (or 2 Tbsp. olive oil) with lemon juice. Gently toss cauliflower slices, sunchoke slices, and garlic cloves in this mixture to coat (it’s okay if some of the cauliflower falls apart – it can go in the oven just the same). Spread vegetables in one layer on a baking sheet, pouring extra liquid over the top. Bake until cauliflower and sunchokes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, chop into 1-inch pieces, and set aside.

In a pot over medium-high, heat the remaining 1/2 c. water (or 1 Tbsp. oil). Add onions, and saute until tender, about 6 minutes. Add 3 c. stock, almond milk, thyme, cayenne, and roasted garlic cloves, and bring to boil. Add roasted cauliflower and sunchokes and return to a boil. Lower heat, and simmer until vegetables are quite soft, about 5 minutes.

Blend until completely smooth using immersion blender directly in pot, or pour into food processor or regular blender (allow to cool 10-15 minutes if pouring into regular blender to avoid explosions!). Season to taste with salt and pepper. If desired, gradually stir in 1 c. remaining broth to thin out soup a bit. Reheat if necessary, and garnish with a little pile of sprouts (or pancetta, which you should dice, throw in a pan over medium heat, and cook, stirring periodically, until browned and crispy).