Preparation
- Sweat the onion in a tablespoon of butter until soft and set aside.
- Melt the remaining butter in the pot, stir in the flour and cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until golden.
- Gradually stir in the stock until there are no lumps left, and simmer gently, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Add the broccoli, carrot and sweated onion to the pot, pour in the milk and cream and cook, covered, over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Do not let it boil, or the milk will curdle.
- Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. If you like it creamier, blend half of the soup with a stick blender and return it to the pot.
- Over low heat, stir in the Cheddar a handful at a time, letting each portion melt before adding the next. Take off the heat, sprinkle with the reserved Cheddar and serve immediately with bread.
Drink with it
Dark beer · excellent match
English brown ale or Munich Dunkel
Nutty caramel malt meets the nutty spice of the mature Cheddar, and the carbonation lifts cream and cheese off the palate.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecueIPA · good match
English pale ale or moderate IPA
The hop bitterness cuts through cheese and cream, but too much bitterness would be amplified by the broccoli.
What Is an IPA? Hop Aroma with Many FacesWhite wine · good match
Lightly oaked Chardonnay or Grüner Veltliner
The creamy Chardonnay carries the cream, while the peppery spice of the Veltliner copes with the green broccoli; both keep the soup fresh with their acidity.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing