Sunday August 30, 2009
Carole’s Concoctions:
Broccoli Harvest and a Cool Day
Nothing like a raw, unseasonably cool day to make me want to make soup. And fortunately, I had every single ingredient I needed on hand AND it was farm fresh....broccoli we just picked from our garden, leeks, carrots and garlic from the CSA and High Lawn Farm heavy cream. I even had vegetable broth in the freezer awaiting just this confluence of events. So, I figure when the food gods line up like that then I have no choice.....
Here's the recipe for Cream of Broccoli Soup - out of my Mom's archives of recipes with a note on top that says, "excellent." Oh and Julia Child would be proud - I used butter and heavy cream.
9 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups leeks, minced
1 1/2 cups carrots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 heads broccoli, cut into small florets
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 pinches cayenne pepper or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
salt and pepper to taste
In a pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add leeks, carrots, garlic. Cook until tender but be sure not to brown (about 5 minutes).
Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Add the broccoli. Cook 8-10 minutes until the broccoli is tender.
Pour the soup into a processor (may need to do in batches) and process until veggies are finely chopped but not pureed. Pour soup back into pot. Stir in cream, celery seed and salt and pepper. Reheat before serving or freeze in batches as you await another cool day!!
Enjoy!
Serves 8-10.
p.s. You can leave out the cream entirely or exchange it for half and half or milk. When using great ingredients it's divine any way you eat it. I've got my 13 year old step son that prefers the heavy cream!!