Classic Cream of Broccoli Soup

I promised, so here is: another one of my quick weeknight recipes that I whip up for my family, with no intention of reinventing the wheel but simply to provide nutritious meals likely to please kiddo. Preferably healthy, with as many vegetables as I can get away with. And whatever’s lying in the fridge on the verge of being forgotten altogether.

Like this ultra-classic Cream of broccoli soup to use up an extra full head of broccoli. The past weekend was my son’s birthday party and I planned a homemade lunch of sorts for his little guests: egg salad and ham sandwiches on white bread (the smiles on their faces kinda hint at the trauma inflicted on our kids by whole wheat bread, lol), tomato pizza, hot-dog rolls, marbled cheddar cubes, chips and chocolate cake. While I knew a vegetable platter would go ignored, as a mom, I can’t help but include healthier choices. Anyways, I usually rally vegetable-phobic eaters, whatever their age, with the traditional Curry dip which you can find here. Over time though, I’ve replaced the sour cream in my original post with 0% plain yoghurt for a lighter version that doesn’t skimp on taste.

I had sent Monsieur to buy a few fresh veggies, he came home with 2 heads of broccoli, 6 huge red and orange bell peppers and a full bag of cucumbers, so my son has a full week of vegetable goodness coming his way, like it or not. Okay, not.

I melt enough butter to make a béchamel, then I gently cook the onions to tenderize.

Generous helpings of flour go in, cooked 2-3 minutes more to remove that raw flour taste.

I then add in chicken broth, mix and let it thicken to béchamel consistency. I usually sneak in 5 ml (1 tsp) of yellow baseball mustard to boost the flavour of white sauces, a tip I picked up from Mitche D., chef at Chien Rose restaurant in Montreal.

Lots, and I mean lots of broccoli for an intense taste, then I let it cook while I go do something else.

I had planned on a true cream of vegetable soup, but my guys asked for great big chunks of broccoli please. Who can resist such a request?

I didn’t try to revolutionize what amounts to a familiar comforting soup, wanting to rely instead on ingredients we all have in our pantry. A few minutes of chopping and stirring did the trick. There exist numerous versions of this soup. You can use milk, half-and-half or cream in lieu of chicken broth, even evaporated lowfat milk to replace the béchamel entirely. You can grate the cheese to melt it so it infuses every spoonful, which is out of the question with my anti-cheese son (the only kid I know who peels mozzarella off pizza). I personally prefer “cream of” soups that have no milk product, so I went for a chicken-based “béchamel” that’s just as creamy but less cloying if not healthier per say. Truth be told, I often skip the béchamel and go straight for a ton of veggies cooked in broth, I just felt like going the traditional route this time around. Really, it’s a matter of personal taste.

However, to add pizzazz, I slipped in a few cheddar cubes (or as a girlfriend calls it “giraffe cheese”) and for dipping, Joe Beef Bagelwich covered in the Montreal steak spices both chefs favour so much. A little garlic butter and a few seconds at broil was all it took to torque the bread even more. In all, it made for a nifty weeknight supper to ward off the last of the winter chill. Because sometimes we all need comfort by the bowl, right?