- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 (2 pound) cauliflower, broken into small florets
- 2 1/2 cups low-fat (2%) milk
- 2/3 cup vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons sunflower oil
- 3/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
- Salt and fresh-ground pepper
- Chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the mustard over the mixture and stir it in.
- Reserve about a 1/2 cup of the cauliflower florets; set aside. Add the rest to the saucepan together with the milk, stock, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a nonstick skillet. Break the reserved cauliflower into tiny florets and fry until lightly brown, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 minutes; set aside.
- Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Puree the soup in the pan with a hand-held blender, or in a blender or food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then reheat until just bubbling.
- Remove from the heat, add the grated cheese, and stir until it melts. Ladle into 4 warmed soup bowls and sprinkle with the sauteed cauliflower florets and parsley.