*(but NOT mushroom, pumpkin, or carrot – these render different soups!)

I was trying out a few soup recipe combinations while playing Breath of the Wild today and came to a few realizations.

• To get cream of vegetable soup, you can use any herb, flower or vegetable, plus milk and rock salt – but you cannot use a mushroom, pumpkin or carrot of any kind. I don’t think fruits count either…
• If you cook a single carrot/pumpkin with milk and rock salt, you get Veggie Cream Soup (different from Cream of Vegetable Soup). You can add just about any other general herbs, flowers, or vegetables to this, the pumpkin or carrot will dominate the recipe outcome, making it Veggie Cream Soup, with the one exception being if you add mushrooms.
• If you cook a single mushroom with milk, and rock salt you don’t get cream of mushroom soup, you end up with salt-grilled mushrooms. You have to include another herb or vegetable to get cream of mushroom soup – carrot & pumpkin added still render cream of mushroom soup. I also tried adding single fruits to mushrooms, milk and rock salt, and got salt-grilled mushrooms.

This thick, creamy soup recipe makes about 6 servings and is ready to eat in about 90 minutes. The soup keeps well for a few days in the fridge, perfect for a quick lunch!

Ingredients

• 2-4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 ½ cups coconut milk
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp herbs de Provence
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• ¼ cup diced onion
• 2 tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp dried sage
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 cups potatoes, roughly diced
• 1 cup tofu, crumbled or diced
• 2 cups fresh kale, chopped
• ½ cup fresh chopped Italian parsley
• ½ cup fresh rosemary sprigs
• ¼ cup chopped chives
• Optional: ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (or use your cheese rinds)
• salt and pepper to taste

Tools

• baking tray
• oven mitts
• medium soup pot
• cutting board
• knife
• cooking spoon
• measuring cup
• measuring spoons
• can opener
• cheese grater (if using cheese)
• kitchen scissors, for the herbs

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the main ingredients.

Step 2: Place the chopped cauliflower, potatoes, onion, and tofu on a roasting pan. Drizzle with oil, salt, pepper and herbs de Provence. Roast in the oven at 400°F for 40 minutes.

Step 3: When the vegetables are 10 minutes away from being done roasting, melt 2 tbsp butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly until a roux forms.

Step 4: Slowly incorporate the broth and coconut milk, little by little. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, allowing to thicken. Stir occasionally.

Step 5: Once the vegetables are fully roasted, pull them out of the oven and add them to the soup.

Step 6: Add the garlic, thyme, sage and rosemary, and kale. Let simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 7: Add the parmesan cheese and stir.

Step 8: Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with fresh parsley and chives, then serve.

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Warm and Cosy Soup Season