Homemade Soup Recipes - Broccoli and Cheese Soup Recipe

Homemade broccoli and cheese soup is a real winter warmer. It's quick to make at around 20-30 mins, has relatively few ingredients which is always good in my book, and most importantly looks and tastes like a winter soup should - rich, creamy and appatizing.

Broccoli is a winter vegetable from the same family as the cabbage and the cauliflower. It's low in calories, high in vitamin C and can be prepared in a multitude of ways from serving it raw with a dip, stir fried with rice or in soups, as in this homemade soup recipe.

The broccoli heads that we eat are actually the flower heads of the plant - harvested before they are allowed to flower. Left to their own devices each plant produces hundreds of tiny yellow flowers, with each tightly curled bud sprouting forth into a sea of colour.

Broccoli flowers are edible and can be used in salads and stir frys, or as garnishes.

This recipe serves 2 generously and is easy to double. The resulting soup will keep happily for a couple of days in the fridge if not eaten all at once.

You will need:

Small knob of butter

1 white onion - finely chopped

1 large potato (approx 8oz / 250g)

1 large / 2 small heads broccoli

Approx 500ml / 16 fl oz / 3/4 pt milk

Water

2 - 3 dessert spoons grated hard cheese i.e. Grana Padano

Salt and pepper for seasoning

• In a large saucepan melt the butter, add the finely chopped onion and sweat gently for 2 -3 mins until the onion is soft and translucent.
• While the onion is sweating peel the potato and cut into small (approx 1cm square) pieces - this helps the potato cook quicker
• Add the diced potato to the onion and butter and cook gently for a couple of minutes, allowing the potato pieces to be coated in the onion / butter mix.
• Add enough milk to the saucepan to just cover the potatos and simmer gently for 5 mins - keep a watchful eye on the saucepan during this time as milk can be quick to boil over.
• Whilst the potatoes are simmering chop the broccoli into small florets
• Add the broccoli to the saucepan, and using any milk left over, plus water, top up the liquid so it just covers the broccoli - cook for a further 8 mins or until both the potatoes and broccoli are cooked. (When cooked you will be able to insert the tip of a sharp knife into the potato with no resistance).
• Once cooked remove from the heat and blend the soup using either a handheld blender or a liquidiser.
• Once blended return the soup to a gentle heat, add the grated hard cheese (2 spoonfuls first - then to taste).
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with a swirl of cream (optional) and freshly baked bread