5 heads of broccoli, stems removed and cut into small chunks and florets broken apart into small pieces
½ onion, diced
½ of leek, white part, diced
¾ stick butter (1/4stick for vegetables and ½ stick to create roux for soup)
½ cup King Arthur gluten-free AP flour
6 cups chicken stock
½ cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Set up your stovetop with 3 sauce pots
In one pot, melt ¼ stick butter over medium-low heat, add the cut up broccoli stems, diced onion and leek and allow to sweat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (let them slightly cook and release aromatics but do not brown them).
In another pot, heat up the chicken stock just to boiling
In the 3rd pot, combine ½ stick butter and flour whisking continuously, to create a roux (this will be your thickener for the soup).
Once the roux is combined and there are no lumps, you should add in a couple of ladles of the stock and whisk it in to temper the roux. This prevents the roux from becoming clumpy. Once you've combined it with some stock and it is more of a liquid, you can pour it into the rest of the chicken stock. Add the sweated broccoli stems, onion and leaks into the stock to cook.
Cook until broccoli stems become fork-tender and then add in ¾ of the florets to cook for a few more minutes.
Cook the remaining broccoli in a covered bowl in the microwave on high heat with few tablespoons of water for about 3-4 mins. Reserve for garnish.
Strain out the vegetables and reserve the soup. Heat the heavy cream in another saucepan.
Place the cooked broccoli, onions and leaks into a food processor and puree them until smooth. Add the pureed vegetables back into the soup, pour and mix in the heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with steamed broccoli, serve and enjoy.
Recipe by Jackie Ourman at https://jackieourman.com/foodie-friday-cream-of-broccoli-soup-and-small-plates-sweet-treats-by-aran-goyoaga-author-signed-book-giveaway/