Potage du Barry (cauliflower and potato soup)

Keep the peeled potatoes in cold water, quarter them, and start them in cold salted water; bring to the boil and cook until really cooked, about 15 minutes from the boil.

Cook the cauliflower in boiling salted water, about 15 minutes from the boil (18 to 20 from when it goes in), then drain.

Drain the potatoes, return to the pan and mash with a fork or masher and a little milk, no butter, salt or pepper.

Mix 150 ml milk with chicken stock and warm it.

Pass the warm liquid through a sieve onto the warm cauliflower and blend with a stick blender until smooth and thick.

Loosen with a little milk, add the potato mash and blend again at low speed.

Season with salt; pass through a sieve into another pan and warm slowly on low heat.

Stir in the cream, then freshly ground white pepper at the last minute, and adjust the salt.

Serve hot, topped if wished with croutons and parsley or chervil.

Variation: before adding the cream, mix it with one or two egg yolks as a binding agent, and do not let the soup boil.