Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I went to the grocery store early on Saturday morning, to check the specials at the meat counter and on the produce aisle.  I didn’t bring home any meat but I did bring home a rather large bag of broccoli from the marked down shelf.  It still had good colour and a pleasant, fresh scent but I knew it wouldn’t keep long, so I steamed the lot of it and then looked for ways to incorporate the cooked broccoli into our menu over the following days.

I'm trying to do a little more forward planning with regard to work-day suppers, so one of the things I used our broccoli for was a cheddar broccoli soup.  It was on our Meatless Monday menu this week.

In order to bump up the broccoli flavour in the soup, I made the vegetable stock for the soup from the broccoli steaming water, and added the broccoli stems to the stock ingredients.  The soup turned out very well; with good broccoli flavour and a pleasant, creamy texture.  It made a satisfying supper that we both enjoyed.

If you would like to make Cheddar Broccoli Soup, you’ll need:

• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 Tablespoons flour
• 1-1/2 cups vegetable stock (see note above)
• 1-1/2 cups low fat evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed!)
• 1-1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups broccoli, cooked to tender-crisp
• Salt, white pepper, and nutmeg to taste

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat and use it to sauté the onion.  When the onion softens and becomes translucent, mix in the flour.  Lower the heat to medium and continue stirring and cooking for about 5 minutes.  You don’t want the roux to take on much colour but you do want to cook the raw flavour out of the flour.

Once the roux has cooked, gradually stir in the vegetable stock, mixing well after each addition so that the roux dissolves completely into the stock.  Once all the stock has been incorporated, add in the milk and mix well.  Continue cooking until the soup thickens and is almost at a boil.

Add in the cheddar and stir until it has melted into the soup.

Add in the broccoli and continue cooking the soup for just a couple of minutes, until the broccoli is heated through.

Taste the soup, adjust the seasonings, and serve it immediately.
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This post is linked to Hearth and Soul Blog Hop hosted by The 21st Century Housewife, Premeditated Leftovers, Savoring Today, Elsa Cooks, Zesty South Indian Kitchen, and Penniless Parenting.