Broccoli Cream Soup

As much as I would like it to be too warm for soup, the reality is, it is still that time of year where you can look forward to and enjoy a warm and filling bowl of great soup. The temperature is hovering around zero, it's been wet and rainy, and it is damp. There's nothing better than a bowl of soup to come home to.

My kids love soup, any kind of soup - mushroom, tomato, chicken noodle, and now broccoli cream soup (loaded with vegetables) is one of their favourites. The bonus is that they love to feed themselves soup, and if you can imagine three hungry little mouths all snapping and whining at dinner time, you will understand why I love soup so much too :)

I know you would expect this soup to be green - like broccoli - but I added so much other goodness to it, the colour changed a little. It is still very delicious though. Beware, one bowl might not be enough!

Broccoli Cream Soup
Makes 3L (or 12 cups)

4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons flour
2 L chicken stock
500g broccoli florets (about 2 bunches)
200g cauliflower florets (about 1/2 a head)
1/2 cup cream
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
30g parmesan cheese

Heat butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, garlic and salt, stirring well until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add flour and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add potatoes with chicken stock, scraping up and bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add broccoli and cauliflower and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables have cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, puree with hand blender, adding cream, salt & pepper and parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Potato Leek Soup with Sweet Corn & Basil

I was shopping the other day, and came across leeks. I love leek. There is something to be said for the sweet mild onion flavour that comes from a leek. I like them roasted, I love them braised, I like them in soup, I even like them fried. I guess I am a leek fan.

So, what started out as simple potato and leek, turned into a silky fragrant corn soup. When I got home and started putting the soup together, I found corn in my fridge and thought I would make a kind of chowder. And, when I looked over at my windowsill and saw my basil plant leaning dangerously close to death, I picked off the leaves and added them too. I am a habitual plant killer. I buy plants like cut flowers because in the back of my mind, I know I am going to have to throw them into the compost.

Back to the soup. My thought process was that potatoes and leek go well together, corn and potatoes are delicious together and I really like corn and basil together. So, with corn tying all ingredients together, what could go wrong? And I was right - it works to create a warming and hearty soup. It warmed and filled up our bellies last night.

Potato Leek Soup with Sweet Corn & Basil
Makes 6-8 serves

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
3 leeks, tough green part removed, white parts rinsed well and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon flour
2lbs potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup corn kernels (from about 2 cobs of corn)
2 liters chicken stock
1 cup cream
1 cup corn kernels, extra (from about 2 cobs of corn)
2 tablespoons (about 8 large leaves) chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon salt, extra
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat butter in large saucepan. Add onion, leek, garlic and salt, and cook gently until leek is softened, but not browned. Add thyme and flour and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes.
Add potatoes, 1 cup corn kernels and stock. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are softened and cooked through. Remove from heat and puree. Stir in cream, remaining 1 cup corn kernels and season well with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!