After a week of overcast days and dismal weather, today blue skies and a warm sun are making me want to put on shorts and eat ice cream.  A steaming bowl of belly warming, cream of broccoli soup couldn’t be further from my mind.  Unfortunately, that bowl of soup is exactly what I whipped up this morning for a segment on WCNC’s Charlotte Today show.   Let it be known that I’ve never claimed to have good timing.

Colder days are just around the corner though (this weekend Charlotte might be dipping into the 40s at night!) and when you go to make that first batch of cool weather soup I hope you’ll make this recipe.  Classic and simple, when it comes to soup, it ranks as one of my favorites.

Click on the video above to see how to make this soup and get some helpful hints on everything from using your blender to proper seasoning.   On a side note, you can make this soup ahead of time.  To prepare in advance, simply follow all the steps until you reach the part about adding the half and half.  Don’t add the half and half!  At this point, you can refrigerate or freeze the soup for later use.  When ready to serve, simply reheat the soup and finish with the half and half.  Bon appetit!

Cream of Broccoli Soup – Printer Friendly Recipe
Serves 4

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, minced
1 celery stalk, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups less-sodium vegetable broth
1 ½ lbs fresh broccoli, trimmed
½ cup half and half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 ounces grated cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about five minutes.  Add the garlic and stir until just fragrant.  Stir in the flour and cook for one minute.   Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, pour in the vegetable broth.  Use a whisk to beat out any little balls of flour.

Bring the soup to a simmer.

Cut the stems from the broccoli florets and finely chop them.  Finely chop the remaining florets.

Add the chopped florets and stems to the soup and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.  Puree the soup with an immersion blender, or working in small batches with a stand blender, until smooth.  Return the soup to the stove and bring to a gentle simmer.  Stir in the half and half and add salt and freshly ground pepper as needed.  Serve the soup immediately garnished with the grated cheddar cheese.