Connie’s notes
Among my favorite chowders is this cold weather soup that’s perfect to feed a crowd. Broccoli and carrot chowder can be chunky or smooth, or both, depending on how you like it.
To make this soup, cubed carrot and broccoli florets are cooked in broth just until done. Roux with chopped onion is prepared in another pan, the broth is ladled in and cooked until smooth. The vegetables are added and pureed.
But what really makes this simple vegetable chowder so good is the texture. A cup or so of the cooked vegetables was reserved and added after the rest had been pureed. The result is a soup that is both smooth and chunky.
Ingredients
- 6 cups broth chicken broth was used here but feel free to use vegetable stock
- 1 cup carrot cubes
- 3 to 4 cups broccoli florets
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ cup flour
- salt
- pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Heat the broth in a pot.
- Add the carrot cubes and simmer for five minutes.
- Drop in the broccoli florets and simmer the vegetables for another five minutes.
- While the vegetables cook, in another pot, melt the butter.
- Sautee the onion and thyme in the butter for about a minute.
- Add the flour all at once and stir to make a roux.
- Cook the roux, stirring often, for three to four minutes.
- While the roux cooks, scoop out a cup of carrot and broccoli florets from the other pot and reserve.
- Slowly drizzle a cup of broth into the roux, mixing as your pour.
- Repeat until the roux and broth mixture reaches a consistency to your liking (you may or may not use up all the broth, depending on how thick you want your chowder).
- Taste the thickened soup, and add salt and pepper, as needed.
- Scoop out the remaining vegetables in the other pot and add to the thickened soup.
- Take the pan off the heat, plunge in your immersion blender and puree the vegetables as smoothly or as coarsley as you like.
- Put the pan back on the stove over low heat, stir in the reserved carrot cubes and broccoli florets, and bring the chowder to a simmer.
- Pour in the cream, stir, and taste the soup. Add more salt and pepper, if needed.
- When the soup comes to a simmer once more, turn off the heat.
- Serve your broccoli and carrot chowder at once.
Toasted salami-wrapped asparagus
