Cauliflower Soup

500 g fresh cauliflower
1 starchy potato
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, peeled & rough chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled & crushed
½ cup dry white wine
2 lt vegetable stock
SIDS SALT & PEPPER to taste
1 tbsp minced fresh chives

Cut cauliflower into (roughly) same-sized pieces, about 1-2 cm thick, depending on diameter. Don't worry about precision - the soup is going to be puréed anyway. We just want the pieces to be of uniform size so that they cook evenly. Reserve about a cup of smaller florets.
Peel the potato and cut it into pieces about the same size as the cauliflower.
In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat the butter over a low-to-medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and cauliflower then cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion is slightly translucent, stirring more or less continuously. Add the wine and cook for another minute or two until the wine seems to have reduced by about half. Add the stock and potato. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes until the cauliflower and potatoes are soft enough that they can easily be pierced with a knife. Don't let them get mushy, though.
Meanwhile, heat a sauté pan with a little bit of rice bran oil and sauté the reserved cauliflower florets until they're tender. Season to taste with SIDS SALT & PEPPER and set aside. Remove from heat and purée in a blender, working in batches if necessary. Be careful when you blend the hot soup. Start on a slow speed with the lid slightly ajar to vent any steam, then seal the lid and increase the blending speed.
Return puréed soup to pot and bring to a simmer again, adding more broth or stock to adjust the thickness if necessary. Add the hot cream, season to taste with SIDS SALT & PEPPER.
Portion the soup into individual bowls, garnish each bowl with some of the reserved cauliflower and fresh chives and serve right away.

Tip: making this soup with roasted cauliflower is a revelation. Simply roast the cauliflower and prepare the soup as described below, but don't sauté the roasted cauliflower along with the other ingredients. Hold it aside and add it to the soup about five minutes before the potatoes are done.
For a yummy variation, stir a cup of grated Gruyère cheese into the soup just before serving.