Cauliflower Soup with Roasted Red Peppers Relish and Bacon Lardoons

Inspired by Fine Cooking

Makes about 5 cups of soup

• Cauliflower florets from a medium head
• 4 Tbs unsalted butter
• Freshly ground pepper
• Kosher salt
• 1 red bell pepper, roasted and diced
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp fresh sage, chopped
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 slices bacon, cut into lardoons

For the soup:  Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a 4 quart pot over high heat.  Add 1 tsp salt and the florets and boil until very tender, about 12 - 14 minutes.  Drain into a colander positioned over a bowl as to catch the cooking liquid.  Set the cauliflower aside to cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree the cauliflower with some reserved cooking liquid and the butter in a blender until very smooth.  Season to taste with salt.

For the roasted red pepper garnish:  Turn on the broiler.  Wash and dry the red peppers and place them on a foil lined sheet pan.  Broil until charred, turning to char all sides.  Remove from broiler and place in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap or foil.  Set aside to steam for 10 - 15 minutes. 

In the meantime, fry the bacon lardoons until crispy and drain on toweling. 

Once the peppers have steamed, remove the outer skins from the pepper (do not rinse).  Stem and seed as necessary.  Dice the peppers and place them in a small bowl.  Combine peppers with olive oil, minced garlic, herbs and red pepper flakes and bacon (keep bacon seperate until ready to serve).

Ladle soup into individual bowls and spoon pepper relish over top.