Broccoli is one of our family's absolute favorite vegetables.  We enjoy them steamed with a little garlic and chicken broth, tossed into stir fry, as dippers with edamame hummos or yogurt dip, or added to Shepherd's Pie.  When my parents are here, we even dip crunchy broccoli in miso paste, a very Asian way to enjoy crisp vegetables.

I decided to try making cream of broccoli soup this week.  Every once in a while, we indulge in cream of broccoli soup at restaurants, but I have to admit I've always feared that it was laden with huge amounts of cream and butter.  This version is fairly lean in that regard, but the chunkiness of the soup makes up for the low fat content. 

I sprinkled some cheese right into the bowl for an oozy garnish.  You could also serve with cheese croutons or slices of baguette toasted with cheese.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

1 (12-oz) bag broccoli florets, or 4 cups broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup chopped onion or leeks
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Shredded cheese as garnish

1. Heat olive oil in a medium sized pot.  Cook onions until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add broccoli and chicken broth.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes.
3. While broccoli is cooking, melt butter in a small saucepan.  Add flour and cook for a minute, stirring constantly.  Add milk and cook until mixture is thickened.  Add this mixture to the broccoli.
4. Stir soup until mixed thoroughly, and remove from heat.  If you have an immersion blender, use it to puree the soup.  Otherwise, you can pour the soup into a blender and puree — be careful, as the soup is very hot.  I prefer to use short pulses and leave the soup rather chunky, but if you prefer smooth soups, you can puree more smoothly.
5. Check soup for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.  Garnish with cheese and serve immediately.

Serves 4