I love to make a big batch of this soup and just keep it in the fridge for a quick and hearty vegetarian lunch. Served with a chunk of bread, or some cornbread, it’s the perfect cure for a cold, rainy Seattle day. I also like this recipe because it utilizes the stalk of the broccoli-the most nutritious part-which can be tricky to find uses for. For the cider, just about any brand will do. I like to buy something in a bigger bottle; use some and drink the rest. Here in Washington we have an abundance of apples, so it should be no surprise that there are many great local options when searching for a cider. Some of my favorites are Red Barn Cidery in Mt. Vernon, and Westcott Bay Cider from the San Juan Islands. Really, any cheap cider will work fine for the recipe, and you can save the good stuff to serve with the soup.
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 head of broccoli, florets cut off, stalk peeled and roughly chopped
2 medium sized carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (in smaller pieces than the broccoli)
Healthy pinch of salt and pepper
16oz. Vegetable stock
12 oz. hard cider
Put a large pot, or Dutch oven on medium high heat. Add about 2tsp. olive oil to the pot, and then add the garlic. After about a minute, when the garlic just starts to give off aroma, add 16oz. of vegetable stock, salt and pepper, cider, broccoli and carrots. Cook on a low boil boil for about 7 minutes, or until carrots are tender when pricked with a knife. Let pot cool, and then puree thoroughly in blender until mixture is as smooth as you can get it. Rinse pot, and put it back on stove on medium heat to begin phase 2.
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
16 oz. vegetable stock
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (save ½ cup for serving)
Melt butter in pot on medium heat and add flour, stirring to combine. Let flour and butter mixture (roux) cook for a few minutes until it starts to take on a khaki/tan color, and slowly stir in vegetable stock. When vegetable stock is heated, add veggie puree from the blender. Once everything is warm (not boiling) slowly stir in cheddar cheese, and add salt and pepper to taste. When serving, garnish soup with a little bit of grated cheddar cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and a few cracks of pepper.
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