Recipe(tried): Cream of Cauliflower Soup

This is an excellent soup tried and true and
may be just the blend of flavors you're looking for.

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

2 tablespoons shortening
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small carrot, cut up (or grated)
1 cup chopped celery
1 head firm cauliflower, cut up
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 qts. chicken broth (or boullion eqiv.)
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tsp. peppercorns, 1/2 bay leaf
1 tsp. tarragon, tied in cheesecloth bag
4 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup half and half
1 cup sour cream at room temp.

Cook onion in shortening. Continue stirring add carrot and celery and cook 2 min. Add cauliflower and 1 Tbsp. parsley. Cover pat and turn heat low, stirring occasionally. After 15 minutes add chicken broth, salt, and bag of herbs. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce and simmer.

In small pan, melt butter. Mix flour into milk with wire whick and slowly, add to butter. Cook to medium consistency. Remove from heat: dilute with half and half and pour into simmering soup. Stir gently with wooden spoon and simmer 15-20min.

Just before serving, remove herb bag, place sour cream in soup bowl (or tureen) and remaining parsley and pour soup.

NOTE: For stronger cauliflower taste, put leaves, hard white core and stalks from cauliflower into soup with soup bones if making your own chicken broth.