Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons almonds toasted sliced
• 1 ounce bread baguette french
• 8 cups cauliflower florets ( 1 large head)
• 4 cups chicken stock see unsalted (such as Swanson)
• 0.3 cup flat-leaf parsley fresh chopped
• 4  garlic cloves chopped
• 0.5 cup half-and-half 
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt divided
• 2 teaspoons olive oil 
• 1.5 ounces pancetta chopped thin
• 1 tablespoon butter unsalted divided
• 1 cup water 
• 0.8 cup onion yellow chopped

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• paper towels
• ladle
• oven
• blender
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 45
2. Place cauliflower in a large bowl; drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat. Arrange mixture in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 450 for 40 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring once after 30 minutes.
4. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.
5. Add ham; cook 3 minutes or until crisp.
6. Remove ham; drain on paper towels. Melt 1 1/2 teaspoons butter in pan.
7. Add onion and garlic; saut 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Add cauliflower, stock, and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Remove from heat; stir in half-and-half.
10. Place half of cauliflower mixture in a blender.
11. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender.
12. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth; pour pureed soup into a bowl. Repeat with remaining cauliflower mixture. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
13. Place torn bread in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until coarsely chopped. Melt remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons butter in a skillet over medium heat; swirl.
14. Add breadcrumbs; saut 5 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently.
15. Remove from heat.
16. Combine ham, breadcrumbs, parsley, and toasted almonds. Ladle about 1 1/4 cups soup into each of 4 bowls; top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons toasted breadcrumb mixture.