Ok, so originally this was a recipe for a classic American baked potato soup. But the recipe, in an attempt to be healthy, used a head of cauliflower and two potatoes. As I was making it I realized this would probably turn out a similar soup to the classic French Cème du Barry soup my dad used to make, so I did a little scouting via the Google and my dad’s recipes and in the end the soup morphed into some Franco-American hybrid creation. Quite a tasty hybrid, too!
Crème du Barry is supposedly named after the Duchesse du Barry, one of Louis XV’s mistresses.
Given its resemblance to the aristocratically-named Crème du Barry, but with the added rustic element of potatoes, it only seemed fair to give the name a 1789 proletariat twist. This is the soup that results when elegant Madame la Duchesse du Barry meets the peasantry and says “let them eat soup!” (Incidentally, after writing that I found out she was herself in fact a victim of the vile Mme. Guillotine!)
If you want a more American name, you could call it Baked Potato and Cauliflower Soup. But where’s the pizazz in that?
This recipe is adapted from “Too-Good-to-Be-True Baked Potato Soup,” in Gina Homolka’s The Skinny Taste Cookbook.
- Crème de la Bastille:
- 2 Russet potatoes
- 1 Head Cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1-2 Shallots, diced
- 2 Tbs Butter
- 2 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 1/2 Cups Milk
- 1/2 Plain Greek Yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1/2 Cup Whipping Cream
- 4 Tbs Chives, chopped
- 1/2 Tsp Grated Nutmeg (Freshly-grated is glorious if you have some whole nuts!)
- Abundant grated cheese to garnish. I used a mixture of classic sharp cheddar and Swiss Gruyere.
- 6 slices of well-cooked bacon, chopped, for garnish
Poke each potato all over with a fork and microwave them for 5 minutes. Turn them over, and microwave for an additional 3-5 minutes. Let cool, then peel and chop the potatoes. (The original recipe also suggests baking the potatoes for an hour at 400 F, and had I had the time, I would have done it that way. But rest assured, the microwave-bake will work just fine for a soup. Just don’t tell your microwave-conspiracy-theory friends. I also left some skin on when I peeled the potatoes. Texture and vitamins and all that.)
Fill large pot with about 1 inch water and bring to boil. Place cauliflower in steamer basket, and steam until tender, 5-8 minutes. (Using a small steam basket and pot, mine took probably less than 15 but more than 5 for sure. I know, watching the clock isn’t my forte.) Remove cauliflower and drain. Set aside.
Return pot to stove and heat butter till foaming. Add diced shallots, cover, and sweat (think like a lower-temp sautée where you don’t want to caramelize the shallots) in butter over medium-low heat until tender.
Add cauliflower to pot along with potatoes, broth, and milk. Bring to boil. Use immersion blender (careful not to splash as it will still be very hot!) to blend until smooth. Add yogurt and whipping cream, as well as chives, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste, reserving some chives for garnish. Stir well and bring to simmer for about 10 minutes.
Adjust seasonings one last time. Dole out and garnish each bowl with cheese, bacon, and chives. Bon appetit!