Don’t be shy. Just go floret.

A Pinch of Salt

By Donna Marie Riani

The cozy season is in full swing. The days are colder, the sunlight shorter and the weather wetter. I know some people struggle with the weather this time of year, but I embrace it. I wear my softest, comfiest clothing. I turn on my electric fireplace and let the warm glow fill my living room and I break out all of my coziest comfort food cookbooks. 

This time of year, I crave comfort food. I want something that will warm me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes and for me that’s always soup. When looking through my cookbooks for the perfect cold weather soup there was a clear winner, Broccoli Cheese Soup. It’s thick, rich, cheesy and satisfying.

Oregon is one of the top producers of broccoli, with more than 240 farms that grow it. Broccoli can grow in Oregon year-round in areas with milder climates. At the grocery store, you will find many different kinds of broccoli such as broccoli rabe, Broccolini and Romanesco. Oregon has even developed different types of broccoli: the Umpqua variety is known for its large flowering heads and the Island Market variety is prized for its blue green heads. The part of the plant that’s most sought after is the head or the florets. The small flowers at the head of the stalk are tender and cook quickly. The stems are just as delicious but require a longer cook time than the florets and a little extra prep. The stems should be peeled with a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer part of the stalk leaving you with the tenderest part.

Broccoli is part of the mustard family. Other members of this family include cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, horseradish and wasabi, to name a few. The one thing members of the mustard family have in common is their strong distinctive odors and flavors and this is due in part to their sulfur content.

Broccoli is a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamins C and K. It can be steamed, boiled or roasted. It can, of course, be eaten raw and it has a starring role on almost every crudité platter ever made.

When I think of iconic food pairings, broccoli and cheese rank high on the list. I want to thank the person who thought of combining the two. It’s pretty darn delicious. This week's recipe is a copycat recipe from a famous soup, salad and sandwich restaurant known for their broccoli cheese soup that shall remain nameless. I love this recipe and have been making it for years. I’m not going to say making soup is easy because it usually involves a lot of chopping, but the payoff is worth it and you can work on your knife skills in the process. The fastest and tastiest way to bring cozy vibes into your home is to have a pot of this soup cooking away in your kitchen. And be sure to serve it with a nice warm slice of bread.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 tablespoon salted butter

1 small yellow onion, medium dice

Pinch of sea salt

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

1/4 cup salted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups half and half

3 cups vegetable stock

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen broccoli florets and stems.

1 cup of carrots, shredded (for convenience I purchase pre-shredded carrots)

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 cups medium or sharp cheddar, grated (please don’t buy pre-grated cheese. It doesn’t melt as well)

In a small sauté pan, melt one tablespoon of butter over medium low heat and then add the diced onion and pinch of salt. Sauté the onion until softened, about two minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and set aside.

In a large pot over medium low heat, melt 1/4 cup of butter and then whisk in the 1/4 cup of flour. Continue to whisk for about three minutes.

Slowly whisk in the half and half and then the vegetable stock. Add the salt and black pepper.  Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the broccoli, carrots, onion garlic mixture, paprika and nutmeg. Stir with a large spoon to combine. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the broccoli and carrots are tender, stirring occasionally.

Add the shredded cheddar one cup at a time and stir to combine.

The soup is now ready to be served in bowls or oversized mugs. Serve with bread or crackers.