Kristi's Gf Super Terrific Broccoli Cheese Soup |
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Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes |
Ready In: 60 Minutes Servings: 10 |
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This soup will feed an army, but is still in development phase. Changes are imminent, don't be shocked. Ingredients:
2 (12 ounce) bottles woodchuck hard apple cider (granny smith flavor) |
6 cups chicken broth |
3 cups milk |
6 garlic cloves, minced fine |
6 ounces white button mushrooms, cut in half then chopped |
2 celery ribs, cut in medium strips then chopped |
1 medium onion, diced smallish |
1 large jalapeno, gutted and diced small |
1 cup green onion, diced |
6 cups broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces (enough that you can fill the pot, but still stir the soup! ) |
1 cup cornstarch |
1 1/2 cups water (or just enough to dissolve corn starch) |
black pepper (to taste) |
salt (to taste) |
1/2 lb aged cheddar cheese, grated fine |
1/2 lb smoked gouda cheese, grated fine |
1/2 lb smoked provolone cheese, grated fine |
Directions:
1. Mix cider, chicken broth, milk and garlic in a LARGE POT (I used a 10 qt pot) and slowly bring to a simmer. Put onions, mushrooms, green onion and jalapeno into the pot. Simmer about 10 minutes so flavors have time to blend.
2. While you're simmering, get a pan big enough to hold all your broccoli. Put water in it and bring it to a boil. Once you have a good boil going, put all the broccoli in and cook for 2 minutes. DO NOT OVER COOK! Broccoli will go grey really fast, you're just looking to get a bright green, which should happen almost instantly. If it's not all bright green, don't fret, it will be ok.
3. In a large coffee mug or bowl, mix the cornstarch and the water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. I like to use a coffee mug and a fork, but whatever works is okee dokee.
4. Once your soup has simmered a bit, go ahead and add the cornstarch and bring it to a full boil while stirring. This will make it loads easier to thicken than if you wait until later. :) Stir until you've reached something just shy of your desired consistency (the cheese will add some thickening power, too). Drop the heat back to a slow simmer and add the broccoli.
5. With the lowest heat you can (and the soup still simmers, that is!), add the cheese, slowly, no more than a handful at a time and stir until it melts. Word has it that a figure 8 is the best way to stir in cheese, but I didn't try it when I made this soup, so I don't know. Be patient and work in the cheese until there isn't anymore.
6. With your cheese melted, season to taste. You'll probably want some black pepper and salt, paprika is good, mustard would be nice with this, too. I leave that up to you.
7. If/when rewarming, make sure you do it on the stovetop over med-low heat. Cornstarch thickened anything doesn't like to reheat in the microwave very well. I'm not really sure why, but that's the way it is. :).
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