Cauliflower Soup

In the cold months of January and February, I turn to this soup.  It's warm, comforting and satisfying.  And as an added bonus it's topped with warm, buttery, crunchy home made croutons. 

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a shallow pan, add 2 diced celery ribs and 2 coarsely chopped cloves of garlic. 

 Sauté for a few minutes until celery is soft and shallot is translucent.  Add kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Add 4 cups chicken stock to celery and shallots.  Add cut up cauliflower and add a few springs of thyme to pan and simmer for 25-30 minutes.

Remove soup from heat and cool for a few minutes.  Spoon mixture into blender and blend in batches (remove the top of blender while blending to allow steam to escape).  From there pour soup either back into pan or pour into serving bowls.  Serve with homemade croutons.