Recipe: Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Is soup "badass?" It is when I do it!

Just like at Panera, but without the egregious price tag

INGREDIENTS

• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 5 Tbs butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 cups half & half
• 3+ cups chicken broth/stock
• 1 lb fresh broccoli
• 2 carrots, grated (~1 cup finished)
• 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• Salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep the veggies
• Cut the broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces. Cut the stem into small pieces (no sense wasting all that broccoli - use the damn stem like your impoverished ancestors). Set broccoli aside.
• Grate the carrots. You're looking for ~1 cup of finished grated carrot. Set aside
• Mince the onion. The goal is small onion pieces that will disappear into a soup - not big-ass onion chunks that can be seen from space
2. Cook the onion in 1 Tbs of butter. Sweat those onions; cook over medium heat for ~10 minutes until tender
3. Add remaining 4 Tbs butter and allow to melt. Add flour and mix together with butter and onion. Stir the flour into the butter and make a roux. Stir flour, butter, and onion for ~3 minutes.
4. Add 3 cups chicken broth and 2 cups half & half and stir. The mixture will thicken as the liquids heat. Stir until the mixture is heated through. If it feels a little too thick add more half & half or chicken broth or both.
5. Add broccoli to the pot and simmer for ~15-20 minutes - this will cook the broccoli. Check the doneness of the broccoli. When tender, add the carrots. Cook for 30 seconds.
6. Buzz/blend
• If you have a hand-held stick blender, buzz your soup into silky submission. Actually, leave a few chunks in there for rustic appeal, but process most of the soup.
• If you have a blender, carefully pour your soup into the blender (should be done in batches to prevent painting the kitchen with hot soup) and blend a little. Like the stick blender method, leave some chunks for rustic authenticity. Return soup to the pot.
7. Add cheese, stir, and cook for 5 minutes. Check salt & pepper - add necessary seasonings
8. Done

FAQs

• It seems there are a lot of soups on this site, what gives? >> Mmm, soup is easy to eat.