[blindcooks] Recipe - Broccoli Cheese Soup
- From: "Rob Hudson" <captinlogic@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <blindcooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 20:02:08 -0600
For a long time, I have been searching for the perfect broccoli cheese soup. I
had some at a place called the Old Country Buffet which was pretty darn good,
but it was still missing something. Something vital that I couldn't put my
finger on.
I tried a few recipes and none of them quite measured up. So I gave up and
figured it was going to be one of those things that I wasn't ever going to find.
Then I got a hold of this cookbook and just for giggles I tried the broccoli
cheese soup.
Bingo. It was perfect. It had just what I was looking for. I'm still not
exactly sure what it was--was it the cheese? The spinach? Some magical
alchemical process not fully quantified but necessarY? Whatever it was, I found
the perfect broccoli cheese soup. Below, find the recipe.
I am going to try it one of these days with Parmigiano-Reggiano, but it is so
expensive that I reserve it for the most special of occasions. We're talking
fourteen to fifteen dollars for eight ounces. This was still very good with
plain old Crystal Farms shredded parmesan.
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Source The cook's illustrated cookbook: 2,000 recipes from 20 years of
America's most trusted food magazine
SERVES 6 TO 8
To make a vegetarian version of this soup, substitute vegetable broth for the
chicken broth.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds broccoli, florets chopped into 1-inch pieces, stalks peeled and sliced
1/4 inch thick
1 onion, chopped coarse
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
Pinch cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
3-4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 ounces baby spinach (2 cups)
3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
1-1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated fine (3/4 cup), plus extra for serving
1. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, onion,
garlic, mustard, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently,
until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Add 1 cup water and baking soda. Bring to
simmer, cover, and cook until broccoli is very soft, about 20 minutes, stirring
once during cooking.
2. Add broth and 2 cups water and increase heat to medium-high. When mixture
begins to simmer, stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
Transfer half of soup to blender, add cheddar and Parmesan, and process until
smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer soup to medium bowl and repeat with remaining
soup. Return soup to Dutch oven, place over medium heat and bring to simmer.
Adjust consistency of soup with up to 1 cup water. Season with salt and pepper
to taste. Serve, passing extra Parmesan.
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