Broccoli and White Cheddar Soup (and a vegan alternative)

1 tbsp. butter
1 onnion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
2 teaspoons salt
3 lbs broccoli, with stems
4 cups chicken broth, divided in half
1/4 cup half and half
6 oz aged white cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and black pepper

Melt butter in soup pot, and add onions and salt. While the onions cook to translucency, remove the stems from the broccoli crowns, removing the stems and chopping them into 3 or 4-inch lengths. Chop the crowns into small, bite-sized pieces. Once the onions are tender and translucent, add the stem pieces and 2 cups of chicken broth to the soup pot. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil and simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes, until broccoli stems are tender. Remove the onions and broccoli stems from the simmering pot to a food processor or blender. Add the broccoli florets and 2 remaining cups of chicken broth to the pot and simmer, covered. Puree the onions and broccoli stems until smooth and return to soup pot. Once broccoli florets are cooked and tender, reduce heat to just below a boil. Slowly stir in the half and half and cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with shredded cheese as a garnish.


For a vegan alternative to this soup, use vegetable broth and magarine (or oil) to cook the onions. Follow the directions until the onion and stem puree is added back to the pot, and you're done. The stem puree is a good way to use a part of the vegetable that often gets thrown away, and adds nice thickness and body to the soup. If I weren't such a cheese fan, I could have stopped at that my point.

But that's why I'm not a vegan!