Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Croutons

I haven't had a whole lot of broccoli cheddar soup in my life, but the few times I've had it, it always felt like it should be called cheddar broccoli soup since it was always more cheese than broccoli. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

This recipe looked interesting since it seemed like it would be more broccoli than cheese. And it definitely is. It's super hearty and the cheese is more of a subtle background flavor. The mustardy croutons make it especially tasty.

And I had even more especially tasty croutons since they were made from homemade bread that was given to us by our weekend visitors, Michael Bracco and Shawna Pincus. Shawna is a woman after my own heart, with her love of homemade goodies and nerdtastic men.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Courtesy of 101cookbooks.com



Croutons:
5-6 ounce chunk of artisan whole wheat bread, torn into little pieces (less than 1-inch), roughly 3 cups total
1/4 cup butter or olive oil (I like 1/2 and 1/2)
1 1/2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Soup:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 1/2 cups light, good-tasting vegetable broth
1 large head of broccoli (12 ounces or 3/4 lb.), cut into small florets
2/3 cup freshly grated aged Cheddar, plus more for topping
1 - 3 teaspoons whole grain mustard, to taste
Smoked paprika, more olive oil, creme fraiche, sour cream (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350°F and place the torn bread in a large bowl. In a small saucepan heat the butter until it has melted. Whisk the mustard and salt into the butter and pour the mixture over the bread. Toss well, then turn the bread onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the croutons are golden and crunchy. Toss them once or twice with a metal spatula along the way.

While the croutons are toasting, melt the butter (or olive oil) in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the shallots, onion, and a big pinch of salt. Saute for a couple minutes. Stir in the potatoes, cover, and cook for about four minutes, just long enough for them to soften up a bit. Uncover, stir in the garlic, then the broth. Bring to a boil, taste to make sure the potatoes are tender, and if they are stir in the broccoli. Simmer just long enough for the broccoli to get tender throughout, 2 to 4 minutes.

Immediately remove the soup from heat and puree with an immersion blender. Add half the cheddar cheese and the mustard (a little bit a a time). If you are going to add any creme fraiche or sour cream, this would be the time to do it. Now add more water or broth if you feel the need to thin out the soup at all. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Serve sprinkled with croutons, the remaining cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and a tiny pinch of smoked paprika.