Creamy Potato, Cauliflower and Leek Soup...and Chet Baker

I've been wanting to make soup...something in the potato and leek direction...but also been craving pureed and/or roasted cauliflower. So to save time and possibly increase the pleasure I decided to combine the two.

If you're interested in the details of the soup keep on reading, if not, just skip the next big chunk...

Here comes my stream-of-consciousness, don't-have-to-think-too-hard list of ingredients and prep steps combined: sauteed chopped 3 leeks, 1 onion, 1 fennel bulb in olive oil and butter until soft, then about a half cup of vermouth and then a carton of low sodium chicken stock...added as I finished chopping them, a carrot, button mushrooms, a small head of cauliflower and four russet potatoes (I was going to add a little more variety here, but didn't like the look of the other potato choices at the corner market, and they didn't have parnips), and three bay leaves (not chopped)...when they were done I added a couple scoops of mascarpone cheese and sour cream (left over from the weekend's mushroom gravy), a few glugs of buttermilk, a few slices of New Zealand grass-fed sharp cheddar I have from Trader Joe's (really good), a little grated parmesan, maybe a teaspoon of thyme, salt and pepper...and then pureed with the new Cuisinart stainless immersion blender I got from my sister for Christmas (thanks Carol!). It works great...I started and then realized I hadn't taken out the bay leaves...only two came out. Oops!, but that last one was totally gone. Then I tasted to figure out what it needed, after opening and sniffing quite a few bottles, I added a decent splash of aged sherry vinegar, maybe a half teaspoon of allspice and another of fresh grated nutmeg, and just a little chopped parsley. Served mine with a sprinkle of truffle salt on top.

OMG...that soup was soooo good...just what I was craving and more! And yes, I actually remembered to take a few pics before my bowl was gone.

While I was cooking, and eating, I was listening to a couple Chet Baker albums I recently got from iTunes. I'd heard his name before, but never really, at least knowingly, listened to him. What an amazing, and belated, jazz discovery! If you don't know him and you like jazz at all, click these links and take a listen to a few previews on Amazon. The first album, Chet Baker Quartet Plays Standards, sooo mellow and relaxing, an awesome album! And the second, My Funny Valentine, is a mix of instrumental and vocals. He had a different voice, pretty high, but nice. Who knew Chet Baker went so well with Potato, Cauliflower and Leek soup on a cold night. Life is good.