Roasted Leek, Cauliflower, and Garlic Soup

Super simple and healthy soup for a cold and rainy day like today. I basically made this one up on the spot seeing how I had two giant leeks in my fridge that had about a day left before hitting the circular file. But, it came out creamy and delicious without added cream or butter!

Ingredients:

• 2 Large Leeks (or 3-4 medium sized)
• 3/4 to a Whole Head of Cauliflower (the florets)
• 8-10 Cloves of Garlic (skin on)
• 4 Cups of Unsalted Chicken Stock
• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• Fresh Nutmeg (to taste)
• 3 Bay Leaves
• Sea Salt, Black Pepper, White Pepper (to taste)
• Chives

Method:
Set a rack in your oven to just below center and set the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut and wash the leeks and cauliflower and place in a roasting pan. Add the oil, a few pinches of sea salt, and black pepper to the veggies and stir. Wrap the garlic (with skins on) in a piece of aluminum foil with a little oil and close the foil around the cloves. Place the roasting pan and the garlic next to each other on the rack and roast for 30-40 minutes stirring the veggies every 5 minutes to avoid burning. When veggies are slightly golden, remove them and the garlic from the oven and discard any pieces of leek that may have burned too much (I had about five pieces).

Put the veggies into a dutch oven on the stove and add the chicken stock, bay leaves, and a touch more sea salt (just be careful not to add too much at this point as you will add more later for a layering/depth effect) and bring to a light boil. Squeeze the now roasted garlic paste from the skins and add to the pot. Reduce to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the bay leaves and, using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. You could do this in batches in a blender if you don't have an immersion blender. Test for saltiness before adding any more salt. Add freshly grated nutmeg, sea salt, and white pepper and stir to distribute. Serve immediately with chopped chives to garnish.