Puréed Broccoli and Celery Soup
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
- 1tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1medium onion, chopped
- 4stalks celery, diced
- 2 to 4garlic cloves, to taste, minced
- 2pounds broccoli, mostly crowns, chopped; stems, if using, peeled and diced
- 6ounces potatoes, peeled and diced, or ½ cup medium grain rice
- 2quarts water or vegetable stock
- A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf, a Parmesan rind, and a couple of sprigs each thyme and parsley
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1½ounces spinach leaves or baby spinach (1 cup, tightly packed)
- 2tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, chives, for garnish
- A drizzle of olive oil
- a swirl of crème fraiche or plain yogurt
- a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan
Optional Garnishes
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
178 calories; 7 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 1372 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Do not allow these ingredients to brown. Add a generous pinch of salt to prevent this from happening (the salt draws out liquid from the vegetables). Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic smells fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Step 2
Add the broccoli, potatoes or rice, water or stock, bouquet garni, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni. Stir in the spinach and let sit for a minute off the heat. Add freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt.
- Step 3
Using a hand blender, or in batches in a regular blender, purée the soup. If using a regular blender fill only half way and cover the top with a towel pulled down tight, rather than airtight with the lid, because hot soup will jump and push the top off if the blender is closed airtight. Return to the pot and heat through, stirring. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, topping each bowl with a sprinkle of chopped herbs and with other garnishes of your choice.
- Advance preparation: This will keep for two or three days in the refrigerator but will require thinning out.
Private Notes
Comments
Like others, I revised this by using a can of cannelleni beans instead of potatoes and added the broccoli after 25 minutes of simmering the beans, bouquet garni, onions, celery and garlic. Turned out great.
Used leek rather than onions, since had lots to hand. As others have commented, the flavour seemed a little 'flat', but after the addition of the juice of half a lemon it was really excellent.
I made this with produce from my CSA and homemade vegetable stock. When the soup was initially finished I thought it tasted really flat and unremarkable, even after adjusting salt and pepper. At that point, I added about a tablespoon of sherry vinegar and refrigerated it until dinner time. Fortunately, upon reheating the flavor had improved greatly. I served it with a drizzle of thinned sour cream and chopped fresh herbs as noted in the recipe. So, a word to the wise, make this soup ahead!
I used a big celery heart instead of the celery stalks and this gave it a nice sweetness. I really loved this soup and will make it again.
The comments indicated that this was a bit on the bland side, so with the simmer I added a splash of anchovy sauce along with the recommended chunk of Parmesan rind, using a really large chunk. Also a splash of amontillado at the end. The result was delicious! I think next time I will increase the spinach for a brighter green soup.
Did the rice variation and left out the spinach and fresh herbs at the end (re: small children/cooking in a hurry). I did also add in an entire block of white cheddar that I shredded and melted in off the heat. Marvelous.