Ingredients
- 1.5 lb broccoli florets 680 grams, the florets from about 3 medium broccoli heads, chopped
- 1 large carrot about 1 cup when grated
- 3 cups chicken stock or veggie stock for a vegetarian option
- 3 cups water
- 1 brown/yellow onion about 1/2 cup when diced
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter 60 grams
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 4 tbsp, 30 grams
- 1 cup heavy cream double cream
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 8 oz sharp cheddar white or yellow cheddar grated at home, 225 grams, divided 6 oz/170 grams for the soup, and 2 oz/85 grams for the topping
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice or more to taste and, optionally, lemon zest from a lemon
- croutons to serve to taste
Instructions
- Make the roux. Add the butter to a large pot over medium heat and stir until it’s melted and bubbling for a few seconds. Add the flour and stir to combine with the melted butter, cooking it until the flour has a lightly cooked aroma (about 1 minute). This is the start of the roux that will help thicken the soup.
- Add diced onion. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt, and saute them, stirring, until lightly softened (about 2 minutes).
- Add stock and water. Add the chicken stock slowly while stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot so that the flour/roux does not stick to the pot. Then, add the water. Cover the pot and increase the heat to bring the liquid to a boil.
- Simmer the veggies. Add the chopped broccoli florets and grated carrots and cover the pot. Decrease the heat so the liquid is simmering (not rapidly boiling). Simmer until the broccoli is tender, stirring occasionally (about 12-15 minutes, more or less depending on how big the broccoli pieces are).
- Blend. Once the veggies are tender, blend the soup to your desired consistency. Use an immersion blender if you have one (it’s safer and easier). I like the soup just very slightly chunky (mostly smooth), but you can blend it until as smooth as you like. If you want a silky smooth soup, pass it through a sieve after blending or use a high-speed blender like Vitamix.
- Add cream and cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning. Once you’ve blended the soup, add the cream and then the cheddar (reserving a handful to serve on top of the soup). Taste and add salt and pepper to your preference. Add a squeeze of lemon juice (about 1 tbsp or to taste) and, optionally, lemon zest.
- Garnish. Serve the soup with the reserved grated cheddar on top and croutons.
Notes
Note 1: Blending the Soup. If you have to use a countertop blender, follow safety precautions. Use care when transferring the hot soup to the blender. Only fill the blender halfway. Put the lid on, but remove the center cap from the lid and cover the top well with a kitchen towel. The towel allows steam to escape rather than build inside the blender but be careful that the top is well-covered with the towel so that the liquid doesn’t splash on you.
Note 2: Cheddar. Grate the cheddar at home. Pre-grated/shredded cheddar from the store usually has anti-caking additives that make it harder to melt smoothly. Buy a block of cheddar and grate it at home.