Broccoli and Roasted Garlic Soup
Instructions:
Roasted garlic is a great thing to have in the refrigerator, ready to perk up your
everyday cooking. I often take a few seconds to prepare a couple of heads and
toss them in the oven when I am roasting something else. One autumn Saturday
afternoon, when I wanted a warming soup after gardening, I made this soup
from what was at hand, and now it’s a staple.
roasted garlic
1 large, plump head garlic
Olive oil , for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch broccoli , about 1¾ pounds
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 med um onion, chopped
1 large baking potato, such as russet or Burbank, peeled and cut into 1- inch chunks
6 cups canned low-sod um chicken broth
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400˚F.
- To roast the garlic, cut off the top ½ inch of the garlic head to make a “lid.” Drizzle the cut surfaces with a little olive oil and season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Replace the lid to return the garlic to its original shape. Wrap the garlic in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake until the garlic is deep beige and tender, about 45 minutes. Unwrap and cool.
- Cut the florets from the broccoli stalks and coarsely chop the florets. Pare and coarsely chop the stalks.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cover. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped broccoli florets and stalks and the potato. Add the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pot. Simmer until the potato is very tender, about 30 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, squeeze the roasted garlic from the hulls into the pot, discarding the hulls. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In batches, puree the soup in a blender with the lid ajar. (Or use a handheld immersion blender to puree in the pot.) Serve hot.