The Weathered Palate: Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Do you have a Fall Soup Bucket List? Well, I'm starting one and this is #1. This is not Broccoli Cheese soup, this is Broccoli CHEDDAR soup. Tillamook Sharp Cheddar to be exact. Is there any other kind of cheese to use? Please don't buy the cheap generic cheese because it's on sale. It will ruin this soup.

I was sick a few weeks ago and was craving this soup and I haven't been able to get it off my mind. We had my in laws over last night to feast upon this delicious soup and sandwiches made on sour dough bread. No, I didn't make the bread, Kneader's did. The pairing was naturally out of this world. The soup was hearty with big chunks of broccoli and carrots with velvety cheddar cheese weaving it's way into every bite. Good description, huh?

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:

2 T butter
3/4 onion, diced
5 T flour
1/3 cup white wine
64 ounces chicken broth
2 cups half and half
1 pound of shredded cheese, off the block
3 heads of broccoli
5 medium carrots, diced
1 T ground mustard

Directions:

1. In a dutch oven, melt butter over medium-low heat and saute onions until translucent.
2. Add flour and stir until all the onions are coated. Meanwhile, prepare broccoli and carrots. Cut broccoli into little florets, discarding the large stems. Chop into small pieces. Dice the carrots by slicing the carrot lengthwise into half moons, then into quarters. Run your knife through to dice into quarters. Do not add yet.
3. Pour in white wine and stir.
4. Add in all the broth and bring to simmer, about 3 minutes. Broth should thicken as it cooks.
5. Add broccoli and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Simmer on low for 5-10 minutes.
6. Pour in half and half and cheese.
7. Season with ground mustard. Let simmer for 15 minutes until the vegetables have soften and cheese has melted. Don't get carried away, there's milk and cheese in it and it as burn potential...not that I would know...