CREAMY BROCCOLI, CHEDDAR & HAM SOUP

When you have a meaty ham bone in the fridge, first thoughts for how best to use it go to split pea soup. But, since nobody in my household actually likes split peas, I turned my thoughts to ham-enhanced dishes they love. Broccoli, ham, and cheddar quiche heads that list. Why not make a soup with those delicious flavors? This, then, is the tasty result—even better in my opinion, than the quiche that inspired it. I did add one special ingredient—half a pound of mushrooms. Blended with caramelized onion, the mushrooms add even more depth and creaminess to the finished soup. Served with a nice loaf of crusty bread for dunking, this makes a very satisfying meal.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 quart low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 meaty ham bone, meat trimmed off and cut into small pieces
• 3 small yellow onions, 1 kept whole, 2 diced to make 1 ½ cups chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 large broccoli crowns, stems trimmed and cut into small pieces in one microwaveable bowl; crowns cut into very small florets in a second microwaveable bowl
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz button or crimini mushrooms, diced to make 2 ½ cups
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

In a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat add chicken stock and ham bone. Add water to cover bone. Cut one of the onions in half, leaving skin on and add to pot with 1 bay leaf. Heat to boiling then reduce heat to medium low and simmer, for a half hour.

Measure 2 cups of the raw small broccoli florets into a microwaveable bowl. Add ½ cup water. Cover and microwave for 3 minutes. Drain liquid and set aside. Place any remaining raw florets into the bowl of chopped raw broccoli stem pieces. Add ½ cup water. Cover and microwave for 3 minutes. Drain liquid and set aside.

In a deep pan or Dutch oven over medium low heat add olive oil and the 1-½ cups chopped onion. Cook until translucent and very soft. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and continue cooking until mushrooms have released their liquid and some of the liquid has cooked off. Scoop into a bowl and puree mushrooms and onions using an immersion blender. Set aside.

Wipe out Dutch oven and place back on cooktop over medium heat. Melt butter and whisk in flour to make a roux. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth, thickened, and creamy. Remove from heat. Whisk in grated cheese to make a very thick sauce. Set aside.

Remove ham bone, onion, and bay leaf from soup pot. Working cup by cup, slowly whisk ¾ of the stock into the cheese sauce. Add the onion/ mushroom puree and whisk again. Add the bowl of cooked broccoli stems plus ½ of the cooked florets from the floret bowl. Blend soup with immersion blender until broccoli is broken up well. At this point, add as much of the remaining stock as you wish to the soup to reach the consistency you like. Stir in the remaining cooked florets. Stir in the bite-sized ham pieces. Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot with crusty bread.