Roasted Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Soup

I recently wrote this recipe to be paired with the 2010 Joseph Phelps Vineyards Freestone Chardonnay. It's a festive celebration of some of the most delicious produce this Fall season has to offer.  The color alone is sure to wow anyone who's lucky enough to be seated at your dinner table!

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, core removed
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled
• 2 Tablespoons + 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 4 Tablespoons + 1 Tablespoon of butter, divided
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
• 1 rounded Tablespoon ginger powder
• ½ cup whole pecans (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Place a large roasting pan in the oven as it preheats – this will give the vegetables a nice golden sear when they are added to the hot pan
3. Remove the cauliflower florets from the core and place in a large bowl
4. Cut the peeled sweet potatoes into wedges of ½ inch thickness.  Add to the bowl with the cauliflower florets
5. Toss the prepared vegetables with the 2 Tablespoons salt and 4 Tablespoons olive oil to coat
6. Carefully add the vegetables to the pre-heated roasting pan, stirring quickly to evenly distribute the pieces
7. Roast for 30-40 minutes, or until the pieces are lightly browned and soft
8. When you are 20 minutes into the roasting of the vegetables, heat an extra large pot over medium heat and add the 4 Tablespoons of butter
9. Next add the diced yellow onions and 1 Tablespoon of salt
10. Sauté the onions until they become translucent
11. When the vegetables are finished roasting, carefully add them to the large pot
12. Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth, adding enough to cover the vegetables by ½ inch.  Bring to a boil and then lower to the heat to a simmer.
13. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and falling apart.
14. Puree the mixture with an immersion or standard blender, adding more broth if necessary to achieve desired consistency
15. Season with the cumin, ginger and additional salt to taste
16. Meanwhile, toast the whole pecans until fragrant, then immediately toss with the additional Tablespoon of butter plus ½ teaspoon salt.  Once they’ve cooled, chop finely
17. Transport soup to serving bowls, garnish with a small amount of pecans and dish up hot.

Buon Appetito!