Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

I made this recipe out of our Improvisational ingredients in class today. I thought it turned out delicious. And in addition to being dairy-free it's also nut-free because I didn't use nuts to thicken the soup.

DAIRY FREE CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP
Serves: 8

1 head cauliflower
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery stalks, strings removed and chopped
2 - 2 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 - 3/4 lb. mixed mushrooms - I used oyster and shiitake, but use what is fresh and preferrably local.
6 cups vegetable stock - preferrably homemade, if not try Pacific brand Organic low sodium
1 - 2 Tbs. sea salt
a few grinds of pepper
4 Tbs.olive oil
1 -2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1. Cut 3/4 of a cup of cauliflower into small florets - about the size of a penny. Put into bowl, drizzle with 1 Tbs. olive oil and a pinch of salt. Use your clean hands to combine. Lay cauliflower flat onto a sheet pan and cook for about 20-25 minutes until golden and tender - stir them once or twice during cooking.

2. Cut rest of cauliflower into bite-size florets and set aside.

3. Now is the time to prepare your other ingredients, be sure to keep them separated.
Chop onion.
Mince garlic.
Chop celery.
If necessary clean your mushrooms with a damp cloth and roughly chop into bite-size pieces.

4. In a stock pot with 1 Tbs. olive oil, saute your onions and celery over medium heat with a pinch or two of salt. Cook until onions become translucent, tender, and just beginning to brown - about 7-10 mins. Stir and watch so they don't burn.

5. Add minced garlic, thyme, and 1 Tbs. of salt. Saute for 2 mins.

6. Add mushrooms and saute another 5-7 minutes until they begin to break down a bit. If the mixture seems too dry add a little more olive oil 1 Tbs at a time.

7. Add uncooked cauliflower florets and stock. Bring just to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 30-45 minutes to let flavors combine and deepen.

8. In a blender, puree 3/4 of the mushroom soup in 2-3 batches taking care not to overfill the blender or burn yourself with the hot mixture - I like using a measuring cup to transfer the hot soup from pot to blender. After you puree one batch, pour it into a bowl, then puree another batch. But remember to leave about 1/4 of the soup whole, not pureed.

9. When done pureeing, pour soup mixture back into pot, stir and taste for flavor. This is when I found it needed a bit more salt, a squeeze or two of lemon juice, and a few grinds of pepper. Put back on stove at a very low temperature for another 10 mins to meld flavors and keep warm until ready to serve.

10. For service, garnish with roasted cauliflower and a bit of lemon zest or fresh thyme if desired.