I’m not at all mad that we have officially entered soup weather. This easy and warming soup was one I came up with midweek after work, it takes very little time, and if you were REALLY pushed for time you could skip the roasting of the cauliflower. All up allow about forty minutes, and yes it tastes even better the next day for lunch.

What you need:

• one small cauliflower or half a large one
• my essential trio: extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper
• one carrot, peeled and diced
• one whole leek, the white part washed and diced
• two potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 chicken thigh cutlets on the bone (thighs would do if you really wnated less work)
• 1.5 – 2L good quality chicken or vegetable stock
• optional: cream, fresh chives or parsley, crispy bacon, croutons

What to do:

If time allows, and you could honestly preheat the oven while you get organised or even use the air fryer, roast the cauliflower florets. Give them a drizzzle of olive oil, some salt and pepper, and about 10 – 15 minutes in a hot oven. While it roasts you heat some olive oil in a pot, and gently fry the leek, carrot, and potato. When they have softened, after about 5 minutes, get the chicken thighs in along with the roasted cauliflower, and just enough stock to cover it all plus a bit extra. Lower heat to a gentle simmer and leave it for about half an hour.

Just before you are ready to serve take the chicken out and shred into pieces. Blitz the rest of the soup until smooth, and return the chicken pieces to the soup. Serve with any of these: cream, bacon, chives, parsely, or croutons. Or on it’s own, it really doesn’t need anything else.

Bon apetit.