Mission Possible: Pan-Roasted Broccoli Cream Soup

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Mission Possible: Pan-Roasted Broccoli Cream Soup

Mission Impossible was a popular TV series in the late 60s and early 70s about an elite covert operations unit. Instructions were delivered on a self-destructing tape recorder, always preceded with the words, “Your assignment should you choose to accept it.”

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to transform a controversial vegetable into a yummy creation.  Which vegetable? 

Broccoli.

The ultimate goal of your mission is a pan-roasted broccoli cream soup.

Background of Our Targeted Vegetable

To achieve this mission, we first need some background.

Broccoli comes from the Italian word “brocco” meaning “shoot” or “twisted thread.”

Sounds like an underworld figure, doesn’t it?

Records of broccoli consumption date back at least to Roman times, when it was cultivated in what is now southern Italy.

At times hated, broccoli’s popularity has definitely been on the rise, with consumption increasing over 900 percent in the last quarter century.

How to Identify the Best Broccoli

As you stealthily approach your target in the grocery store, your mission is to locate those bunches that are dark green in color. This color is a dead giveaway of broccoli’s high vitamin C and beta-carotene content, along with calcium, potassium and other key nutrients.

The stalks should be firm. Don’t get thrown off the trail with rubbery or bendable stalks. This means they’re not as fresh as they should be. Other undersirables are those clusters that are already flowering and are water-soaked or discolored.

Once you have located your suspects store them your refrigerator’s crisper drawer until you are ready to interrogate, um, I mean cook them. 

Pan-Roasted Broccoli Cream Soup

When it’s soup time, combine your broccoli with other key ingredients like onion and garlic, in a sauté pan for a quick roast and then add them to your soup pot with your vegetable stock. 

Oh, and don’t forget the cayenne and cream. 

There’s always an interesting twist when on a mission.

Your taste buds will not want this mission to end.

And fortunately, for the good of all of us, this recipe will not self-destruct in five seconds.

My hope is that you’ll accept this mission.

Mission Possible: Pan-Roasted Broccoli Cream Soup

Print Recipe

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Make it your mission to give this soup a place on your menu. It’s delicious, simple to make, and will make your tastebuds dance.

• Prep Time: 0 hours
• Cook Time: 0 hours
• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: 4 - 6 1x
• Category: Recipes, Soup, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Week Night Meals

Ingredients

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• 1 quart vegetable stock
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 cup cream
• kosher salt

Beurre Manie

• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons butter

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Instructions

1. Sauté the broccoli in a soup pot. As it begins to lightly brown, add the onions and reduce the heat.
2. Continue to lightly sauté until onions are translucent and then add the garlic.
3. Sauté until garlic is fragrant, 1 minute or so.
4. Add the vegetable stock.
5. Simmer lightly until the broccoli is easily pierced.
6. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
7. Once cooled, blend with an immersion blender.
8. Stir in the cayenne and cream.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning with the kosher salt.
10. If needed, thicken with the beurre manie.

Beurre Manie

1. Knead together the equal part of butter and flour.
2. Once combined, drop the mixture into the soup by chunks, whisking after each addition until the soup is thickened to your liking.

Notes

Reduce the amount of cayenne should your tastebuds prefer less heat.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 230
• Sugar: 6.1 g
• Sodium: 901 mg
• Fat: 17 g
• Saturated Fat: 10.6 g
• Trans Fat: 0.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 17.5 g
• Fiber: 3.2 g
• Protein: 4.5 g
• Cholesterol: 49.2 mg