Basic Broccoli Soup

posted by Chefmom 01-30-100 3:06 PM

Basic Broccoli Soup

2 large bunches fresh broccoli, cut up will be 8-9 cups
1 large baking potato, medium diced
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 medium sweet onion, finely diced
2 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 cups chicken stock/broth (32 ounces)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
4 cups milk
Salt to taste
Freshly cracked white pepper, or black


Chop the broccoli into large pieces, including the stocks, set aside in a large bowl. Clean, peel and dice the potato, set aside. Chop the onion and garlic and have ready to go.

In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, heat the butter and olive oil until the foam resides. Add the onion and garlic, lower the heat and sweat until transluscent, you don't want color. You can deglaze with a "spot" of white wine if you like. Add the stock and the potato and broccoli and over medium heat, cover and cook until the most woody stocks are tender and give with a fork. This takes about 15-17 minutes.

When the broccoli is tender, ladle into a blender (only fill about half full) and puree until smooth. Pour into a bowl (the bowl you had the broccoli in before you added it to the pot) and continue until all the liquid and broccoli is finished.

Place the pot back on the burner and heat the other 2 tbsp. of butter until the foam resides. Add the flour and cook until thick. Now you can choose to use all of the puree and finish the whole batch of soup. This is a large amount! I had 8 cups of puree before I added the milk, too much for hubbie and I. I took 4 cups of the base and froze it for another day. Then I finished the other four cups puree with half of the milk (2+ cups and the 2 Tbsp+ cream).

When the butter/flour roux is thick, slowly add the milk and stir, stir, stir until blended. Bring to the boil to cook out the flour. Add the cream and add the 4 cups or 8 cups of puree, stir to combine over a low heat to heat back up and taste for seasonings. If it is thick, add milk to thin. I used a low sodium, 99% fat free purchased chicken stock and didn't need salt! I just gave a few turns of the pepper mill and it was perfect!

Makes 12 cups of pureed soup

1/2 of the recipe gave me 4 very generous portions.


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