Celebration Broccoli Soup

They say if a new cookbook yields one keeper recipe, then it was a worthwhile purchase. In that case, Healthyish, which so far is two for two and I received it as a Christmas gift, is like winning the lottery. Who opens their presents and thinks: can’t wait to cook some broccoli! Just me? The day after Christmas I made Cheesy Broccoli and Pea Soup, and if 2018 was the year of the puréed vegetable soup, then this version was an appropriate send-off to the new year. It was so excellent that I considered it again the following week for my birthday dinner, only taking it off the menu because of a self-imposed rule that all recipes be new to me. Celebration Broccoli Soup, who knew there was such thing?!

Here’s what caught my attention:

  1. The call for frozen vegetables. It’s not like I forgot about the existence of frozen broccoli, and it’s not that you couldn’t use fresh broccoli in place, but I needed a reminder of how useful frozen vegetables can be. Open bag, pour into pot, done.

  2. The use of an interesting spice, and the use of it in an interesting way. I’ve always thought of caraway seeds solely as the flavor agent of rye bread, and I never would have paired it with parmesan. The combination has me rethinking all past assumptions about spice, and I’ll be poking around my cabinet a little more now.

  3. The use of a parmesan rind. I truly think this is such a special ingredient; it adds a savory, comforting essence without unloading cups of shredded cheese. The only problem is availability. No offense to a full wedge of parmesan cheese, but sometimes I only want the backside. I’d like to do the impossible, figure out a way to manufacture and sell just the rind. I’d be rich.  

Broccoli has a bad rap for a reason, I believe. It can be boring, bland, mushy, harsh, and “too healthy.” But not this way, the Healthyish way. This is the way to eat broccoli.  

CELEBRATION BROCCOLI SOUP, adapted from Healthyish by Lindsay Maitland Hunt

You’ll need:
3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions chopped
1 tsp caraway seeds, crushed (I did so in a mortar and pestle)
Salt and pepper
2 pints vegetable stock
1 parmesan rind (if available)
1 bag frozen peas (my store carries 12oz size)
3 bags frozen broccoli (my store carries 12oz size)
2 tbsp lemon juice

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onion, caraway seed, 1-1/2 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onions are soft and beginning to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add broccoli, parmesan rind, and vegetable stock (until barely starting to cover the broccoli, may need slightly less than the full 2 pints). Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 12 minutes. Add peas and cook for about 1 more minute. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, and use an immersion blender to purée. Add lemon juice, stir, and serve.