Serbian Cauliflower Soup (Srpski Karfiol Supa)

My maternal grandparents owned one of the oldest mansions in the borough and had a lot of property that included a carriage house and chicken coops. They converted two acres of ground into a vegetable garden and we always had fresh vegetables that included corn, tomatoes, hot peppers, green peppers, rhubarb, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, watermelon, potatoes, and different lettuces. They also had a grove of fruit trees: cherries, pears, apricots, plums, chestnuts, and apples. We didn't have to go to the produce stands or stores, we went to Baba & Djedo's house for produce, chicken, and eggs!

2 tablespoon oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, cut into thin coins
1 stalk celery, diced
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 medium potato, diced
1 medium to large head of cauliflower, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon Vegeta (if available or Original Mrs. Dash)
1 quart chicken stock or vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste
2 tablespoons flour

In a soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Fry onion until golden; add carrot and celery and sauté 1-2 minutes. Add the diced potato, cauliflower, tomato, thyme and black pepper. Saute another minute. Add chicken stock or vegetable broth. If the vegetables are not covered, add 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Taste and salt to your liking. When the vegetables are tender, make a roux by heating 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and stir well. Add 1 ladle of soup broth to the roux and whisk until smooth. Add the complete roux mixture to the soup pot and stir. Cook for another 5-10 minutes. To make an even thicker soup, blend half of it using a hand mixer or a blender. Adjust seasonings to taste. Before serving, you can add a garnish of chopped green onion, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, or chopped fresh parsley.

NOTE: My father and grandfather liked to spice it up with a sprinkle of hot pepper flakes or seeds as a garnish.