Thursday Dinner

I've been trying to find the time to make a big pot of Broccoli & Cheese Soup ever since Lowes Foods had fresh broccoli on sale the week before last. Today I finally made it happen. (And lucky for me that fresh broccoli has a long shelf life if kept refrigerated.)

I've been making this soup for going on 20 years, tweaking the recipe as I go, until I think I've perfected it. At this point, it's as much about the tips and tricks as it is about the actual ingredients. It's a little time consuming, but that could be cut way down by using steam-in-the-bag broccoli instead of fresh. (I've never tried it that way, but I doubt it would taste much different.)

GSO Foodie's Broccoli & Cheese Soup

Take 1 large bunch fresh broccoli (about 1 lb) and cut the florets off and into bite-sized pieces. For the stalks, peel, then slice into thin "coins." Steam broccoli in microwave until very tender - it can't be firm or al dente for this recipe. (I cook the "coins" and the florets separately because they have different cooking times. For both, I place in microwave-safe casserole dish, sprinkle with about 2 Tablespoons water, then cover with plastic wrap. For the "coins" I microwave about 9 minutes, or until a fork pierces them easily. The florets are usually done in about 6 minutes.) Once broccoli is cooked, set aside.

Melt 1/2 stick butter or margarine in large stock pot over medium heat. Add 1 medium onion, chopped, and saute until soft and translucent but not brown. (Lower heat if necessary.) Add 1 t. minced garlic (about 2 cloves), turn up heat a bit, and saute for another minute or two. Add 1/4 cup flour and stir until a roux (thick paste) forms. Cook over medium-high heat for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden brown with a nutty smell.

All at once, add a 32 oz. carton chicken broth and stir well with a wisk to break up all the lumps. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened (about 5 minutes). Now spoon all the tender-cooked broccoli into the blender. Add about 1 cup of soup (no need to measure, I just use about 2 ladle-fuls), and puree everything until smooth. Add a little more soup if needed to make it circulate. Pour broccoli puree back into soup pot - it will be very thick and a lot will stick to the sides of the blender. Use about 2 cups of milk to "wash" the broccoli puree off sides of the blender container (just pour in, cover, and shake), then pour that into soup pot as well. Bring back to a simmer, add in 1/2 lb. Velveeta, cubed, and salt & pepper to taste. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until all the cheese is melted.

I served this tonight with a loaf of beer bread from a mix I got at Trader Joe's (the last time I passed through Chapel Hill), and it made a totally delicious and filling dinner.

Totals:

$1.25 - broccoli
$1.75 - chicken broth
$1.25 - 1/2 lb. Velveeta
$1 - remaining soup ingredients

$2 - beer bread mix
.50 - can of beer (the cheap stuff)

$7.75 for dinner for 3, with 1/2 loaf bread and at least a quart of soup left over.


NOTE 1: For years I used natural cheddar cheese, but I always had a problem with it curdling (getting grainy), especially when the soup was reheated. (And what's the point of making soup if you don't make a big pot with plenty of leftovers?) Velveeta solved that problem nicely, but feel free to use natural cheddar cheese (shredded, not chunked) if you're against the processed stuff.

NOTE 2: Soup gets very thick in the fridge. Stir in a little milk when reheating.

NOTE 3: I didn't take photos because, as delicious as it is, broc & cheese soup just ain't pretty to look at. :)