Bacon & cauliflower soup with parmesan crisps

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 500g bacon bones, cut into pieces
• 1 (700g) cauliflower, trimmed into florettes
• 1 litre water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup litre cream, optional
• 1/2 tsp horseradish cream
• Salt & white pepper
• 1 tbs snipped chives

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan.
2. Sauté the onion and bacon bones over the heat for 5 mins.
3. Add the cauliflower, water and bay leaves and bring to the boil.
4. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer the soup for 15 mins.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat, set aside to cool slightly.
6. Remove and discard the bacon bones and bay leaves and process the soup in a food processor in two batches until smooth.
7. Preheat oven to 200°C.
8. Place tablespoons of parmesan cheese onto baking trays, spread out to form 6cm rounds, bake in batches for 5-7 minutes mins or until crisp and golden.
9. Working quickly lift the parmesan crisps from the tray and set aside on a cooling rack.
10. Return the soup to a saucepan and warm gently, add cream and horseradish and season.
11. Sprinkle with the chives and serve with the parmesan crisps.