THE BROCCOLI + CHEESE SOUP LA SOUPE DE BROCOLI

Les ingrédients | The ingredients 

8 ounces or 227 g sharp cheddar cheese, grated or shredded 

Two heads of broccoli  florets 

4 tablespoons butter

One cup, chopped yellow onion 

Two or three carrots, chopped and peeled, bite-sized carrots

Five cloves, minced garlic 

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt divined 

1 teaspoon black pepper  

3 tablespoons of purpose flour 

960 mL or 4 cups chicken broth

2 cups half-and-half 

1 teaspoon dry mustard powder 

1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

 The Steps | Les étapes 

Step one: chop and peel all ingredients. Chopped broccoli heads into spoon-sized pieces. Also include a few broccoli stocks also chopped into small bite-size pieces. This is the sweetest part of the broccoli. Next, peel and chop carrots into thin, small half pieces. Followed by dicing the yellow onion and mincing five cloves of garlic

Step two: In a large pot or Dutch oven over Medium heat, add 4 tablespoons of butter, allowing it to gently brown just before adding the onions. Once the butter has gently browned, add the yellow onion, the carrots, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until the onions are translucent, roughly 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the cooktop 

*Browning the butter brings more flavor, but it also creates a darker hue to your soup. If you prefer a lighter or more common hue, place all the ingredients in the pot at once. 

Step three: Once the onions have become translucent, add the minced garlic. Mind the garlic so it doesn’t burn by occasionally stirring for roughly 3 minutes.

Step four: Add 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, mixing the flour in and cooking for roughly 2 to 3 minutes.

Step five: Add 4 cups of chicken broth, followed by 2 cups of the half-and-half.

After the ingredients have been added, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, not a full boil. Once the soup has begun to simmer, immediately reduce the heat to low or medium, depending on the cooktop. Once the heat is reduced, add in the broccoli. Allow the soup to cook for roughly 10 to 15 minutes covered, while checking the broccoli around 8 to 10 minutes for softness. Once the broccoli has softened to prepare it for the next step.

Step six: Prepare a fresh block of cheese by grating  or shredding the cheese. This will be added once the broccoli has softened. Until then, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of mustard, and 1.5 teaspoons of smoked paprika.

Step seven: remove the soup from the heat or cooktop and add the cheese gradually while mixing. Once well combined, add the soup to the perfect serving dish, garnish with the best flavor toppings, and enjoy!