Truffled Cauliflower Velouté with Parmesan Tuiles

⏱ 50 min · Serves 4

Silky, ivory-white and impossibly smooth, this velouté turns a humble cauliflower into something worth lighting candles for. A whisper of truffle oil, a swirl of cream and a shard of lacy Parmesan tuile snapped over the top — restaurant elegance from a handful of ingredients.

Per serving: 436 kcal · 17.5g protein · 24.0g carbs · 31.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1 large cauliflower (about 800g), cut into small florets, core sliced thin
• 30g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium leek, white part only, sliced and washed
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 small floury potato (about 120g), peeled and diced
• 600ml hot vegetable stock (light, not too salty)
• 300ml whole milk
• 100ml double cream, plus a little to finish
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.5 tsp white truffle oil, plus a few drops to serve
• Sea salt and white pepper
• 80g Parmesan (or vegetarian hard cheese), finely grated
• 1 tsp finely chopped chives, to garnish
• Optional: a few shavings of fresh black truffle

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spoon the grated Parmesan into 8 loose 8cm circles, well spaced, and bake 5-7 minutes until molten, bubbling and pale gold. Cool 2 minutes on the tray, then lift off with a palette knife — drape over a rolling pin for a curved tuile if you like. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large heavy pan over a medium-low heat. Add the leek and a good pinch of salt and sweat gently for 8 minutes until soft but with no colour — colour is the enemy of a pale velouté.
3. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, then stir in the cauliflower (keep back 8 tiny florets for garnish) and the potato. Toss to coat and cook 3 minutes.
4. Pour in the stock and milk, add the bay leaf, bring to a bare simmer and cook, partly covered, for 20 minutes until the cauliflower collapses at the touch of a spoon.
5. Meanwhile, blanch the reserved tiny florets in salted water for 2 minutes, then refresh in iced water and drain. Pat dry.
6. Discard the bay leaf. Blend the soup in batches until completely smooth — a full 2 minutes per batch is what makes it velvety. For true restaurant texture, pass through a fine sieve back into the pan.
7. Stir in the double cream, warm through without boiling, then season carefully with salt and white pepper. Whisk in the truffle oil off the heat so its aroma stays lively.
8. Ladle into warm shallow bowls. Swirl in a little cream, scatter the baby florets and chives, add a few drops of truffle oil and shavings of fresh truffle if using. Serve with the Parmesan tuiles perched on top or on the side.