Here’s a good recipe for those cold winter days.
Cream of Broccoli Soup
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 1½ pounds broccoli
- ½ cup onions, chopped
- ¼ cup red pepper, chopped
- 4 tbsp. flour
- 6 cups chicken stock
- ¼ cup dry sherry
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp. dried parsley
- 1 tsp. ground thyme
- 8 black peppercorns or fresh ground to taste
- 2 pinches of nutmeg
- 3 eggs yolks
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Sharp cheddar cheese, grated* optional
Cut off broccoli florets and set aside. Chop stems and branches a bit.
Melt butter in a 3-4 quart saucepan. Add all the broccoli pieces, onions, and red peppers. Sauté until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Do not let the onions brown or the soup will be bitter.
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Sprinkle the flour across the vegetables, and then stir to coat them as evenly as possible.
Add all the remaining ingredients, except the last four. Bring to a boil, then partially cover and lower the heat to a hearty simmer. Cook for 30 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally.
Add the nutmeg off heat. Strain the soup from the pulp. Do this by pouring the soup into a large bowl. Wipe out the pot with a paper towel. Set a colander over the pot, and then carefully pour in the soup mixture. Stir the mixture in the strainer with a wooden spoon to extract the liquid. Discard the pulp and return the pot to medium-low heat.
Whisk the egg yolks into the cream. Stir in tablespoons of hot soup, one at a time, until you’ve added ¾ cup. Reverse the process and slowly whisk the now-warm mixture into the soup. **
Bring soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat. Taste and season with pepper if necessary.
Serve from a tureen or in individual bowls.
This recipe makes 8 bowls.
*My granddaughter likes to sprinkle a fair amount onto her soup. I prefer it heated in the soup as it melts better.
**This may seem like extra work, but if you don’t do it the yolks and cream will curdle.
