When I know it’s going to be an especially busy week for me, complete with late nights and long commutes, I like to plan at least a couple of easy meals that can be prepared quickly when I get home. Often, these take the form of picnics in the living room — a selection of cheeses, maybe salami, definitely olives (for me, at least), and a little wine. But sometimes I want something more substantial, which is when having a decently-stocked refrigerator comes into play.

For this quick cauliflower soup, I sautéed three thinly-sliced medium leeks in a little butter until soft, then added some chopped garlic and gave it about 30 seconds in the pot before adding one head of cauliflower florets and (this is key) fresh chicken stock to cover. I usually make this with low-sodium chicken broth (shhhh — don’t tell Ruhlman!), but the real stock makes such a huge difference I don’t think I’ll be going back. Once the cauliflower was soft, I added salt to taste, then gave it a whirl in my blender (filled halfway, knob off the lid, covered with a dishtowel), and we were ready […]