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1
Take about 1 cup of the cauliflower florets, toss them with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, spread them on a baking sheet and roast them at 425F until brown and crispy on the outside, about 3o minutes. Set aside.
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2
In a large soup pot, fry the lardons until almost crispy, then remove them from the pot, leaving the fat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic to the fat in the pot, stir and cook for about 2 minutes until the onion begins to soften.
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3
Then stir in the bay leaf, the potato pieces and the remaining cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5-7 minutes. Add 4 cups of the chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes, until the cauliflower and potatoes are soft. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the cream.
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4
Puree the soup using a handheld blender, or in batches in a blender, until it is creamy and smooth. Return to the heat for another 5 or so minutes until heated through. At this point you can also add some more broth (or cream!) if you'd like to thin the soup a bit.
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5
Add salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, stir in the creme fraiche.
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6
Divide the soup into serving bowls, top each bowl with pieces of roasted cauliflower and crispy lardons.
