Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups half-and-half

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 heads broccoli, cut into florets

1 large carrot, diced (there were no regular carrots at the store on Christmas Eve, so I used a comparable amount of baby carrots)

8 ounces grated sharp white cheddar cheese

8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

Chris and I have an agreement. He usually does most of the cooking, and I do most of the cleaning. He often cooks dinner when he gets home from work at three in the morning, and he does so happily.

Since he worked Christmas Eve and I did not, I decided to make dinner for him for a change. We had broccoli-cheddar soup at work this week, so I was inspired to make some of my own. I found a recipe labeled “easy” on Food Network.com as a start and made some adjustments to make it my own.

After preparing my mise en place, I melted the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. I added the onion, cooking it until it was tender, about five minutes. Next, I whisked in the flour and cooked it for about four minutes until it was golden, then whisked in the half-and-half gradually until the mixture was smooth.

I added the broth, bay leaves, and nutmeg, seasoning with salt and pepper, and then brought the soup to a simmer. I reduced the heat to medium-low and cooked it uncovered for about 45 minutes until it thickened.

Once the soup was the consistency I wanted, I added the broccoli florets and carrots and continued cooking it for 20 minutes until the vegetables were tender. Next, I pulled the bay leaves out, which was a little tricky.  One bay leaf was on top, but the other took a few minutes to find.

I used my immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can puree the soup in a blender, but be careful. Let the soup cool for five minutes, and then move it to the blender in batches. Do not fill the blender more than half full of hot soup. Vent the lid and use a towel to catch any splatters. You do not want to have an explosion of scalding hot soup. Pulse the soup until it is smooth (it will still have texture with pieces of broccoli and carrot), then return it to the pot.

I added the cheese, half at a time, and whisked it until it melted. I let the soup cook for a few more minutes to melt the cheese completely. Then, I tasted the soup to check the salt level, adding more salt until it tasted right.

I was pleased with the way the soup turned out. It was delicious, with a thick, rich texture. Chris enjoyed the soup as well, and to me, that is a win.