Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free Creamy Cauliflower Soup

     The rice in this recipe adds all the thickening and “creaminess” you would look for in a cream soup, and you can still serve cream and/or nondairy milk on the side as condiments. Since the milk or cream in a cream soup is only added at the end anyway, this represents no major change in the recipe for anyone who does add cream to their soup. In fact, this ploy has one spectacular advantage: there is no danger of curdling the leftover soup if you later go to reheat it.

     1 onion, sliced

     2 Tb. oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     2 quarts chicken stock (See Broth in the Glossary)

     1 cauliflower, cut in pieces

     1/2 cup rice (See Rice  in the Glossary) 

     2 tsp. dill (See Spices in the Glossary)

     1 tsp. mint (See Spices in the Glossary)

     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     black pepper (See Spices in the Glossary)

     Saute the onion in the oil on medium heat with a good sprinkle of salt until translucent.  Add the chicken stock, cauliflower, rice, dill, mint and a sprinkle of black pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer until the rice is thoroughly cooked.  Puree in a blender.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.