MIKEY BELL

It started like it usually does. The conversation goes a little something like this, and I won’t say who was saying what because it alternates all the time.

‘What do you want for dinner?’

‘I don’t mind’

‘What do you fancy, though?’

‘I don’t mind’

‘What about [insert suggestion here]?’

‘No, not that’

‘Then what?’

‘I don’t mind’

‘What about [insert another frustrated suggestion here]?’

‘No, I don’t fancy that’

And then someone has a conniption and we order a takeaway.

But the other night, it was me doing the suggesting and I simply refused to get a takeaway after having already ordered one a few nights previous.

‘Fine, I’ll get something from the freezer.’

‘Oh, do we have to?’

I pulled out a plastic bag containing a cold, neon-yellow block of ice.

‘This,’ I said. ‘We’re eating this.’

‘What is it?’

‘No clue. I forgot to label it,’ I said and slammed the bag into the sink. ‘This will be dinner.’

And dinner it was, and thank god.

Turns out it was a cauliflower soup I had made a long time ago when I had some vegetables that were threatening to go to the bin of their own accord. And soup, for all of its good intentions, always makes so much more than it needs.

When we thawed the yellow block and we ate it on the sofa, we kind of looked at each other with one of those little, curled-at-the-edges side smiles, because we had forgotten, not just how good it was the first time, but that somehow it was better on a second outing?

‘We should make this more often,’ he said.

The upshot of the soup is some cauliflower roasted to sweetness, cumin seed and it’s earthy, toasty edge, and a lush soft landing with the salty, blankety balm of cheddar. If those three things don’t tempt you, then let the chilli crisp oil do it, which is a welcome reminder that even the oldest ideas can have a new life and surprise you when given a twist.

Is it a cauliflower cheese soup with some spices? Maybe. But is that reason enough to make it, eat it, freeze it, thaw it, and eat it again? I think so.

Some thoughts.

• Onion – keep it white not red, but it could also be some leeks or shallots?
• Broccoli – okay, yes there’s broccoli in this recipe but literally only because I had some spare and needed to use them. Personally, do they add much? Not really, but I had them so I add them. Leave out if you want. If you do include, make sure there’s more cauliflower than broccoli.
• Spices – I felt the cumin and cinnamon were necessary here just to give a point of interest to the pale curiosity of cauliflower and cheese, but you could roll with paprika and maybe some ground coriander would be lovely? I would recommend the cumin seed though. Nutmeg would also be a good shout.
• Cheese – has to be strong, mature cheddar for me, the kind that hurts your neck when you bite it. Otherwise, any cheese would technically work, I won’t stop you from using whatever cheese you fancy, just make sure it’s something melty. No funny flavours though. Can’t imagine a cheese with fruit in it would be good here.
• Chilli crisp oil – I brought this out for the soups’ second life post-freezer, so I know it works gorgeously with it as much as it works without it. But a drizzle of chilli oil would be nice if you don’t have a jar of the crispy stuff. Oh, I tell you what would also be fab? A little melted butter with some chilli flakes stirred through and spooned on top? Failing all this, give a light dusting of hot paprika on top.
• Veganise – hey, I’m no expert but swap the stock for vegetarian, the butter for oil, and the cheese for nutritional yeast, and I’m sure you’ll get something just as good.

I’ve written the recipe as I remember cooking it, so I know the below will feed four people quite comfortably, but it was designed to feed two and freeze the rest, which, as you’ll tell from the above, could one day save you from going mental of an evening when deciding what to cook.

Before we start – let’s talk serving suggestions.

It’s perfectly fine on its own but I must suggest… shamelessly… even more cheese.

A big, thick wedge of bread lightly grilled, and then topped with further slices of mature cheddar (as thick as a stack of Post-Its, please) grilled again, then doused in some Worcestershire sauce and a sprinkling of some toasted cumin seeds, black pepper, and sesame seeds, and then back under the grill for a few seconds.

Marvellous stuff.

One more thing before we start – cauliflower leaves.

Please don’t throw them. Here’s some ways I love to use them:

• Roast – right up to the point they are crispy and crunchy. Douse in some Frank’s Hot Sauce and eat like a snack.
• Fry – chopped up small, fried in some butter until caramelised, finished with a squeee of lemon and eaten alongside some roast chicken.
• Fry again – slice them super, super thin and fry with some onions, some mustard seeds, some turmeric until the onions and stalks are caramelly and brown. Stir through some spinach and eat with some buttery boiled rice.
• Pasta – chop them finely, fry them in some melted anchovies, garlic, and chilli. Toss with some thin linguine (and the water the pasta cooked in) and cover in parmesan.

I could go on but shan’t. Let’s get to the soup.

Serves 4 

1 large cauliflower – broken into florets

2 – 3 broccoli tender stems – roughly chopped

1 large onion – roughly chopped

1 tbs olive oil

2 tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp butter

2 cloves garlic

750ml chicken stock

50 – 80g mature cheddar cheese – grated

Chilli crisp oil – to serve 

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. On a large roasting tray, toss the cauliflower, broccoli, and onion with the olive oil, 1 tsp of the cumin seeds, cinnamon, and some salt and pepper until evenly coated. Spread them out on the roasting tray and put in the oven, roasting for 30 – 35 minutes, tossing everything together halfway through, until golden and soft.
3. Place a large pan on the hob on a medium heat and add the butter, stirring until it begins to melt.
4. Spoon half of the roasted cauliflower and broccoli and all of the onions into the pan and reserve the rest for later.
5. To the pan, add the remaining cumin seeds and grate in the garlic cloves, cooking until the vegetables are hot and the garlic is sizzing, but not browned.
6. Pour in the stock, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, and then remove the pot from the heat.
7. Carefully blend the soup with a stick blender until smooth and creamy, and then return to a low heat on the hub.
8. Add the cheese a bit at a time, letting each addition melt before adding more. Taste and adjust seasoning, you may want a little more pepper. 
9. Stir through the reserved cauliflower and broccoli – these will give the soup that beautiful, moreish chunky texture – and then ladle into bowls.
10. Serve with a big spoonful of chilli crisp oil if you want heat and crunch.