This wholesome, earthy soup is packed with flavour from the sweet roasted onions and unmistakable taste of fennel.
(Serves 2) 49p a portion
400g cauliflower florets, fresh or frozen, 60p
1 potato, diced, 9p
1 onion, quartered, 9p
4 cloves of garlic, unpeeled 6p
Scant teaspoon of fennel seeds, 5p
2 tbsp oil, 6p
500ml vegetable stock, 2p
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark six.
Put the cauliflower, potato and onion into a large roasting dish.
Bruise the garlic cloves by bashing with a rolling pin or wooden spoon, and add to the roasting dish.
Combine the fennel and oil, pour over the vegetables, and roast in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, peel the garlic cloves from their papery skins, and transfer to a blender, ensuring you scrape in the oil and fennel seeds.
Pour over stock to cover and blend until smooth.
Tip: The leftover soup makes a delicious pasta bake. Simply thin with a little water, milk or stock, pour over pasta with a fistful of strong cheese, and bake in the centre of the oven at 180C/350F/gas mark four for 20 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked and the cheese is golden and crispy.
Jack Monroe. Twitter: @MsJackMonroe
First published in The Guardian, Weds 19th February. Photography by Graeme Robertson for The Guardian.