Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Broccoli and cheese soup is on the menu today...……. yummy! 

Hi to all my fellow chefs here on the East Coast of Africa and around this beautiful world we live in.

Well, now that the Winter is fast approaching somewhere on our planet, we here at Home Cooking Haven, decided  it's time to pull out our Soup Menus and share them with you. Today we have chosen Broccoli and cheese soup for you.

As an added bonus we will show you how to do two methods of making this great tasting soup. One conventional way in a pot on the Hob and then Slow cooker/Crock pot, for those working mothers and fathers.

Ingredients

• I Tbsp. melted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced.
  
• ½ Med onion chopped.
• ¼ Cup melted butter.
• ¼ cup Flour.
• 1 Cup fresh cream.
  
• 1 cup Milk.
• 2 cups Chicken stock.
• 3 cups broccoli florets.
• 1 cup carrots
• ¼ tsp nutmeg.
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese.
• Salt and Pepper to taste.

Method 1 On the HOB

• In a med size pot, sauté the chopped onion and Garlic in 1Tbsp. of butter.
• When sautéed set aside.
• Using another med size pot. 
• Add ¼ cup melted butter and ¼ cup  flour and whisk together.
• Add chicken stock stir, simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the Broccoli, carrots and the  chopped onion.
• Continue cooking over low heat 20-25 minutes.
  
• Return to low heat and add the cheddar cheese.
• Stir in nutmeg.
• Salt and Pepper to taste.
•  One can leave the soup chunky or  otherwise remove 1 cup of the soup mixture, blend till smooth and then then add and stir it into the rest of the soup mixture.

Method 2 in the Slow Cooker Melt butter in a frying over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent and soft. Add minced garlic and flour, stirring until fully combined. Transfer to your slow cooker. Pour the chicken broth into your slow cooker Add the Broccoli and carrots. Cover with lid and cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Turn heat down to warm. Add the nutmeg and stir. Stir in the cream. Now add in shredded cheddar cheese and stir to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste

Plating

There are many ways of serving this heart warming soup

• With any fresh bread or rolls.
• Dollop of sour or fresh cream.
• Croutons.

                                                  Enjoy.

This article was printed from Home-Cooking-Haven.com.com

Oven Temp's

Cooking Terms and Tips

Al Dente: Usually applied to Pasta, means cooked until just done, but not soft. The pasta should still maintain some "bite:

Barbeque:  To cook foods over coals, known as a Braai in South Africa (The best in the world for this type of cooking).

Baste: To moisten food for added flavor and to prevent drying out while cooking.

Blanch: To cook briefly in boiling water to seal in flavour and color.

Bouquet Garni: A tied bundle of herbs, usually parsley, thyme, and bay leaves that are added to flavor soups, stews, and sauces but removed before serving.

Braise: Two cook first by browning, then gently simmer till done.

Bread: To coat with crumbs or cornmeal before cooking.

Broil: To cook on a rack or spit during or over direct heat, usually in and on top.

Brown: Two cook over high heat, usually on top of the stove, to brown food.

Caramelize: To Heat sugar until it liquefies and becomes a syrup.

Core: To remove the seeds or tough woody centers from fruits and vegetables.

Cream: The butterfat portion of milk.   Also to beat ingredients, usually sugar and a fat, until smooth and fluffy.

Cube: To cut food into small ½ inch cubes.

Cut In: To distribute a solid fat in flour using a cutting motion, with 2 knives used scissors-fashion or a pastry blender, until divided evenly into tiny pieces.  Usually refers to making pastry.

Croutons: These are tiny cubes of toasted or fried bread, used as a garnish.

Coriander:  Also known as Dhania.

Dollop: A spoonful of soft food such as whipped cream or mashed potatoes.

Dot: To scatter butter in bits over food.

Dress: To coat foods such as salad with a sauce.  Also, to clean fish, poultry or game for cooking.

Drippings: Juices and fats rendered by meat or poultry while cooking.

Drizzle: To pour melted butter, oil, syrup, melted chocolate, or other liquid back and forth over food in a fine stream.

Experiment:   Always keep to the basics, but, take out and put in spices etc. to your tastes.

Fines Herbs: A mixture of herbs, normally parsley, chervil, chives and tarragon used to flavor fish, chicken and eggs.

Glace: To coat foods with glossy mixtures such as jellies or sauces.

Julienne: To cut into long thin strips match-sticklike in shape

Macerate: To soak in flavoured liquid; usually refers to fruit

Picked Over:  If you are working with lentils or other beans you might sometimes find a few little rocks that managed to sneak their way in, picked over means to make sure there are none left in what you are going to be using.

Poach: To cook gently over very low heat  is barely simmering liquid just to cover.

Puree: To mash or grind food until completely smooth. Usually in a food processor, blender, sieve, or food mill.

Ragout:  The basic method of preparation involves slow cooking over a low heat.

Reduce: To thicken a liquid and concentrate its flavor by boiling.

Render: To cook fatty meat or poultry - such as bacon or goose - over low heat to obtain drippings.

Sear:  To brown surface of meat quickly over a high heat, to seal in juices.

Simmer: To cook in liquid at just below boiling point, with only a few bubbles breaking the surface.

Skim:  To remove surface foam or fat from a liquid.

Seep:  To soak in a liquid just under the boiling point to extract the essence i.e. Tea.

Truss: To tie whole poultry with skin or skewers so it will hold its shape in cooking.

Whip: To beat eggs or cream with a wire whisk, eggbeater or electric mixer which increases the volume as air is incorporated into the eggs or cream.

Zest: The outer, colored part of the peel of citrus fruits.

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