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ALMOST-FAMOUS BROCCOLI-CHEDDAR SOUP

Course Soup, Soup, Stew & Chili
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 11 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 tbs. unsalted butter
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 3 cups chicken broth low-sodium
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg freshly grated
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper freshly ground
  • 4 7-inch sourdough bread bowles (round loaves)
  • 4 cups broccoli, florets (about 1 head)
  • 1 large carrot diced
  • 2 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese grated sharp white and yellow, plus more for garnish

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the bread bowls: Using a sharp knife, cut a circle into the top of each loaf, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Remove the bread top, then hollow out the middle with a fork or your fingers, leaving a thick bread shell.
  • Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Return to the pot. (Or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender.)
  • Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Ladle into the bread bowls and garnish with cheese.
  • When blending hot liquids, first let cool for 5 minutes or so, and then transfer to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open; Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters and pulse until smooth.