Broccoli-Cheese Soup

Have you ever watched America’s Test Kitchen and wondered if their claim is really true.  I decided to make an easy recipe for starters and see if their claim is really true.  I love broccoli and every time I see it in a menu or Whole Foods the green color looks so bad and often times loaded with cream and cheese.  This is the first recipe I have seen that uses broth (chicken or vegetable) and looks really appetizing.

Why this recipe works:

We were after a soup with pure broccoli flavor that wasn’t hiding behind the cream or the cheese.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 pounds, florets roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces, stems trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt
• 3-4 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (see note)
• 2 ounces baby spinach (2 loosely packed cups)
• 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
• 1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated fine (about 3/4 cup), plus extra for serving
• Ground black pepper

To make a vegetarian version of this soup, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat butter in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add broccoli, onion, garlic, dry mustard, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Add 1 cup water and baking soda. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook until broccoli is very soft, about 20 minutes, stirring once during cooking.

2. Add broth and 2 cups water and increase heat to medium-high. When mixture begins to simmer, stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer half of soup to blender, add cheddar and Parmesan, and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer soup to medium bowl and repeat with remaining soup. Return soup to Dutch oven, place over medium heat and bring to simmer. Adjust consistency of soup with up to 1 cup water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, passing extra Parmesan separately.

Wow ! This soup is amazingly good.  I can actually taste the sweetness of the broccoli, creamy and smells really good. This is the first time that it did not smell hydrogen sulfide when it’s cooked.  Adding baking soda eliminated that smell.  I made homemade crouton by frying small cubed bread in olive oil and a little salt.  Once the croutons are brown I sprinkled a little Parmesan cheese.  This is a keeper and will be making it again.  Thanks America’s Test Kitchen…I can’t wait to try other recipes.

Ciao for now!