Broccoli cheddar soup

Mondays are tough days.  Not only is it Monday and the first day back at work (and therefore intrinisically unpleasant), but Mondays seem to have become laundry day, which means I get home from work and have to head right back out to the laundromat.  It’s a depressing task to come home to, and makes it difficult to make dinner at a reasonable hour!  (It’s really the fault of the laundromat – if I have an in-unit washer and dryer, presumably it would be a breeze to juggle laundry and dinner!  Someday …. ) 

I tried a new recipe last night, and it was definitely a keeper.  Very quick to make, very few ingredients, and both filling and yummy!  Best of all, it’s dairy free except for the cheese, which suits the lactose intolerant Boy just fine!  The original recipe came from here.  I didn’t change too much, but have noted my changes below. 

Broccoli and potato cheddar soup

• 6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cubed into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces (I only used 4)
• 1 large bunch broccoli
• 2 cups cheddar, separated (I probably used about 3/4 cup total)
• salt
• olive oil
• pepper (to taste)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the potatoes in a large stock pot, approximately 6 quarts. Add cold water until the potatoes are covered by about an inch of water. Add two tablespoons of kosher salt. Place the pot over high heat and cover with a tight-fitting lid.

Chop the broccoli to remove the florets.  Keep the florets intact and spread on a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil.

When the oven is at temperature and the potatoes are boiling, place the broccoli in the oven and let each cook for seven minutes (or until the potatoes are tender and the broccoli is crisp).

Remove the broccoli from the oven and take the potatoes off the heat. Don’t drain the potatoes (like I did!!)  Add half the broccoli to the potatoes and puree using an immersion blender. Chop the remaining broccoli and stir it into the soup, then slowly fold in about half a cup of the cheddar cheese. Serve with hearty bread and garnish with a teaspoon of the remaining shredded cheddar in each bowl. Bring the soup to table with the remaining cheese and allow people to stir it into their soups as they see fit.