You need to eat your vegetables. Am I right? Well, this soup fits the bill perfectly. You can adjust the vegetables as you desire. I toss in plenty of carrots and celery. My kids eat it up! Don't forget to garnish with the cheddar!
Ingredients
1 medium onion, small diced
3-4 garlic, minced
bay leaf
1 tbsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried mustard powder
1 tsp nutmeg
2 oz white wine
5 oz carrots, sliced thinly
5 oz celery, sliced thinly
1 lb broccoli (see Tips and Tricks below)
4 cups chicken stock
tt Worcestershire sauce
1 cup half and half (or milk)
5-6 tbsp flour
tt salt and pepper
tt nutmeg
herbs, fresh, chopped
1-2 cups cheddar, shredded
spinach (optional)
Instructions
Susie's Tips and Tricks below
1. In a wide-mouth pot, saute onion, garlic, and bay leaf in oil.
2. While aromatics soften, place in an electric pressure cooker: carrots and celery along with water and a sprinkling of salt, then cook on high pressure for 2 minutes. After, quick release and open the lid. The machine will automatically set to Keep Warm.
3. Now add thyme, mustard powder, and nutmeg to the sauteed onions. Let them soften.
4. Add the broccoli stems; 2 minutes later add the florets. Promptly add wine and let cook off. Now add chicken stock and Worcestershire. Let simmer 1-2 minutes. The broccoli should be still slightly firm (it will soften when you add the dairy).
5. Mix thoroughly the half & half with flour (a few stray lumps is fine). Then add to simmering stock. The mixture should thicken almost immediately. Check the broccoli for desired done-ness. Add carrots and celery.
6. Remove from heat. Add any necessary herbs and spices again. Sprinkle in cheese and serve. Do not bring to a boil; the cheese will separate and ruin the base.
Susie's Tips and Tricks
You may lessen the quantity of carrots and celery as you desire, and increase broccoli too!
If necessary, you can cook the carrots and celery in the same pot with the broccoli. However, keep an eye on the tenderness and you'll need to watch timing. I recommend a separate pot entirely though.
Cut the broccoli stems off and slice broccoli pieces into small spoon-size portions.
You may use milk if desired. I happened to have half & half, so I used that.
If you prefer a slightly thicker base, add a few more tablespoons flour to the milk.
You may add chopped fresh spinach if you desire some extra nutrition. A bit of cooked bacon is nice too!
Keep in mind that Worcestershire is rather salty; add salt only after tasting.
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