Creamy Cauliflower and Gorgonzola Soup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lay out your walnut pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake walnuts for about 7 minutes to toast, then remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Dump in the chopped onions and cook for several minutes, until soft. Then dump in the chopped cauliflower, celery, rosemary, pepper, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Everything should be really soft, but not brown. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute or two, stirring frequently.

Remove your bay leaf and discard. Add a little of your water or broth to the pot (not really important how much, 1/2 cup or so), to help get all of the veggies off the bottom of the pan. Pour all into the glass container of your blender—in batches if necessary—and puree until smooth.

Return to the pan, add the rest of the water/broth, reheat all and then let simmer for about 10 minutes. Once hot, I start adding salt a little at a time, stirring and tasting, until I like the flavor of my soup. How much you use will depend on whether you’re using broth or water (I usually use water), and what kind of salt you use. Remember, more flavor is coming with the addition of the cheese and walnuts, so you may not need as much as you think.

Right at the end, dump in the gorgonzola. Stir a little, then remove from the heat.

Ladle into bowls, then add a small handful of toasted walnuts to each serving.