A sumptuously French classic soup named after Madame du Barry, the beloved mistress of King Louis XV, who had a deep passion for cauliflower and a tribute to her white skin.
The recipe is super quick, with no techniques and few ingredients. A creamy texture but with no cream, just the vegetables, chicken or vegetable broth, and a little milk.
Remove the leaves and cut off the florets. Rinse under water.
Heat a large volume of water in a pan.
Pre-cook the cauliflower in boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain. You may use a steamer instead.
Cook the soup
Heat the butter in a casserole dish. Meanwhile, chop the shallots.
Sauté shallots for 5 minutes (without browning; we want a white soup).
Add the cauliflower, milk, and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat.
Cook over medium heat for about ten minutes.
Blend
Blend to get a smooth, homogeneous, and creamy texture. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Notes
Eventually, dress with fresh herbs (here parsley), croutons, cream, or sautéed cauliflower florets.
The tradition of this soup is to be very white. Therefore, when sautéing shallots, make sure not to color them; otherwise, you won't get a very white cream-like soup.
Read in the article above the recipe the entire story behind the dish and who was Madam Dubarry.