Asparagus (Or Broccoli) and Fontina Cheese Soup
photo by Pellerin
- Ready In:
- 45mins
- Ingredients:
- 17
- Serves:
-
6-8
ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons chicken soup base (Knoor or good, low sodium bouillon)
- 4 cups chicken broth (low sodium, I use 1 box of Swanson ORGANIC, much better flavor)
- 1⁄2 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled, chopped
- 2 lbs fresh asparagus, trimmed of tough parts, chopped to bite-sized pieces (or broccoli)
- 3⁄4 cup half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1⁄2 lb Fontina cheese, cubed
- 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
directions
- Melt butter & oil in heavy cooking pot, over med-high heat. Sauté onions and celery until tender (~4 min.). Add garlic and sauté ~30 seconds (don't scorch – gets bitter). Add flour, stirring constantly for 1 minute, to cook out raw flour taste. Add water, broth, and Knoor soup base (or substitute bouillon). Stir until smooth. Bring to a gentle boil. Boil for 2 minutes to set the thickening.
- Add diced potatoes, chopped asparagus (or broccoli), salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to med-LOW and simmer for ~25 minutes.
- Puree about ¾ of the soup in a blender in small batches. (Hot soup expands when blended, so fill blender only about 2/3 way full!). I place batches in an intermediary large Pyrex bowl to hold until returning to pot.
- Return blended soup to pot. Stir in half-and-half, soy, and cheeses. Simmer (do NOT BOIL) 5-10 more minutes – stirring often, then taste for seasonings (probably needs a bit more pepper, doubtful it needs more salt – cheese, soup base, and broth are already somewhat salted).
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Reviews
-
My goal was to duplicate a soup I had at a local eatery, now gone out-of-business. I made this with the broccoli and hit the bull's eye. I used 5 oz. of Fontina cheese instead of the 8 oz. the recipe called for, and used whole milk instead of the half & half and still found it very rich and full-bodied. Very flavorful and lovely broccoli essence with out it being overpowering, as broccoli sometimes can be. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I will make this again!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Pellerin
Eugene
An event planner by profession, and a life-long foodie wanna-be who loves to make people happy by feeding them things that make their eyes light up. I'm an empty-nester who enjoys nothing more than cooking for family and friends. When those are not available, my dogs make EXCELLENT and enthusiastic Guinea pigs for testing new recipes. Not surprisingly, I've found that the German Shorthaired Pointers have much more discriminating palates than do the Goldens, who would eat anything -and I mean ANYTHING- that wasn't nailed down (and some things that were). They are all convinced that I'm a gourmet chef, however they're a pretty easy audience.
FAVORITE QUOTE: "My theory is that all of Scottish cuisine is based on a dare." -- Mike Myers