Cauliflower and Roasted Garlic Soup

1 head garlic

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups no-salt-added vegetable broth

1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets (8 cups)

¾ cup raw cashews

½ teaspoon sea salt, or more as needed

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more as needed

¼ cup Blanched Basil Oil, for garnish (optional)

Fresh pea shoots, for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Discard the loose outer layers of papery peel from the head of garlic, then cut it in half horizontally and drizzle each half with the oil. Wrap each half in a small piece of aluminum foil, place on a small baking sheet and roast (middle rack) until the cloves are very tender and caramel-colored, 40 to 50 minutes. Unwrap and let cool, then pick or squeeze out each roasted clove and discard the skins.

Combine the broth and the cauliflower in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, so it's barely bubbling. Cook until you can easily mash the cauliflower against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat, then add the roasted garlic cloves and ½ cup of the cashews. Chop the remaining ¼ cup of cashews and reserve for the garnish.

Use an immersion (stick) blender to puree the soup until smooth. It will be fairly thick. (Alternatively, you can puree the soup in batches in a blender, being careful to not fill it more than halfway to avoid splatters.)

Wipe out the saucepan, and return the pureed soup to it, over medium-low heat. Stir in the salt and pepper; cook until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Taste, and adjust the seasoning, as needed.

To serve, divide the soup among individual bowls. Top each portion with the chopped cashews, a drizzle of the basil oil and pea shoots, if using.

Serves 4 (makes about 5 cups)

Nutrition | Per serving: 240 calories, 9 g protein, 26 g carbohydrates, 14 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 370 mg sodium, 5 g dietary fiber, 10 g sugar

Adapted from "Little Bird Goodness," by Megan May (Penguin, 2017).