Be careful not to
over-salt the soup,
as the prosciutto
garnish will add
a good amount
of salt. To make
it vegetarian, use
vegetable broth in
place of the chicken
broth and crispy
fried shallots
(page 28) for the
prosciutto.
serves 4–6
2 oz (60 g) thinly sliced prosciutto
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 head cauliflower (about 13⁄4 lb/875 g),
coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
1⁄4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
4 cups (36 fl oz/1 l) chicken broth,
plus more as needed
1⁄4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) heavy cream
Salt and ground white pepper
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the
prosciutto slices in a single layer on a baking
sheet. Bake until crispy, 15–18 minutes. Let
cool, then crumble.
In a large, heavy pot, melt the butter over
medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery,
and garlic and sauté until soft, 5–7 minutes.
Add the cauliflower and nutmeg, stir well
to coat, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the
4 cups broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the
heat to low and simmer until the cauliflower
is very tender, 20–25 minutes. Remove from
the heat and let cool slightly.
Working in batches, purée the soup in a
blender. Return to the pot and add more
broth if the soup is too thick. Stir in the
cream. Return the soup just to a boil,
season with salt and pepper, and serve,
garnished with the prosciutto.