Soupy Sunday





There is no better antidote to the Sunday night ritual of harried workweek prep/Monday dread than a steaming bowl of nutritious and filling soup. I planned to be extra-productive this weekend, putting the finishing touches on my thesis for final submission, and Saturday was excellent for that; however Sunday, which followed a very late night, was a total bust. Nevertheless, after lazing around all day and watching reruns of Lie to Me, I decided to try my hand at a new recipe for one of my all-time favorites, broccoli cheddar soup. Surprisingly easy to make, this broccoli cheddar soup has a mild kick to it that plays nicely off of its cheesy richness. The only major change that I made to the original recipe was the addition of extra milk and broth to thin the soup out; the original yielded a soup that was far too thick and chowder-like. I added a couple of extra dashes of Tabasco at the end just before serving as well, but then again, I add Tabasco to pretty much everything.

Broccoli cheddar soup
Adapted significantly from guiltykitchen.com

Ingredients

-       3 heads of broccoli, florets separated from stems and diced finely
-       ½ white onion, diced
-       1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
-       3 tbsp butter or margarine, separated
-       1 ½ cups skim milk, warmed and separated
-       1 ½ heaping tbsp flour
-       3 cups vegetable/chicken broth
-       1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
-       ¼ tsp paprika
-       Tabasco, to taste
-       Salt and pepper, to taste

1.     In a large soup pot on medium heat, melt 1 ½ tbsp butter or margarine and add broccoli and onions; cook for about 6-7 minutes, or until softened.
2.     Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes
3.     Add vegetable or chicken broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered.
4.     Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt remaining 1 ½ tbsp butter. Add flour and whisk together to make a roux; add ½ cup warm milk slowly, whisking constantly, to make a thick creamy sauce. Bring to a simmer and allow to thicken (no more than 5-7 minutes).
5.     Slowly add cheddar to the roux and allow the cheese to become incorporated. Add remaining 1 cup of milk and whisk until smooth; pour the finished sauce to the soup pot and season with paprika and Tabasco, if using. Bring soup to a simmer and leave on low heat for about 15 minutes. 
6.     Remove from heat and add salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with a bit of extra cheddar if desired.

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