Broccoli Cheese Soup
Living in the midwest we have been confronted in restaurants more times than we care to remember with barely-edible, gloppy, broccoli-cheese soups that are almost certainly made with processed cheese food and filled with chemical preservatives and stabilizers. This glorious soup should never be so horrifically abused. Thankfully you can make a terrific version easily in your own kitchen, using freshly picked broccoli from your own garden. The following recipe is broadly adapted from the 1997 Harrowsmith Simmering Suppers cookbook, published by the late (and wonderful) Canadian rural life magazine that was bought out and eventually run into the ground by large corporate interests.
1 small broccoli head
½ cup onion, cut into medium dice
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon white pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon dry sage
1 teaspoon Henderson's Relish
½ teaspoon ground mace
¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, minced
4 cups stock
¼ cup cornstarch dissolved into ¼ cup water
½ cup beer
2 cups milk
2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar
Separate broccoli florets into small pieces. Peel and coarsely chop the remaining stems. Keep both separate.
Melt butter over medium heat and sauté onion until soft, about 10 minutes. Whisk in white pepper, sage, Henderson's Relish, mace, Tabasco, parsley, and chopped broccoli stems. Sauté an additional 2 minutes, then add stock. Simmer for 30 minutes until the broccoli is fully cooked. Puree until smooth.
Add in cornstarch mixture and whisk until smooth. Now add in beer and milk and bring just bring to a boil. Add the grated cheddar and continue simmering, stirring frequently, until the broth becomes smooth. Add in the reserved broccoli florets and continue simmering until they turn bright green and are heated through.
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