Cream of Broccoli Soup – Gluten Free and Vegetarian

I was dying for a Cream of Broccoli soup, and with a couple small adjustments, was able to make exactly what I wanted with few alterations. It turned out spectacularly, though I have made a few small changes from last night to what’s being posted today – you’ll just have to trust me that you’ll love it even more with the changes than without.

Cream of Broccoli Soup – GLUTEN FREE
(Serves 6)

1 medium Onion, chopped

5 cloves Garlic, sliced

4 1/2  C veggie Stock

1 1/2 lbs fresh Broccoli

1/2 C half & half

1/2 C milk / soy milk

3 Tbsp Tapioca or Amaranth flour

2 Tbsp Potato starch (optional)

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

Pinch Paprika or Cayenne (garnish)

2 Tbsp minced Parsley (garnish)

• Heat butter in large pan / pot (big enough to hold whole soup) on low heat.
• Add tapioca flour little bits at a time while stirring thoroughly. You want this to turn into a Roux.
• Once you have your roux, start adding stock little bits at a time and mixing thoroughly to ensure the roux thins properly, rather than clumping. Continue adding stock until roux is completely thinned and then add rest of stock.
• In a separate, smaller pan, add oil, onion, and garlic. Saute until tender. Add to stock pot.
• Chop broccoli into smallish pieces and add to stock pot (should be about 3 medium broccoli crowns), but keep florets from one crown separate.
• For separate florets, drop in Cuisinart and blend until processed, but not pureed – it’s nice to have some substance in your soup. Set aside.
• Cook soup until broccoli is tender.
• In sections as necessary (you don’t want to overfill your cuisinart – it will leak), blend until smooth (thoroughly pureed) and transfer to a large bowl or pot, then put everything back in the original stock pot.
• Add processed florets that were set aside earlier.
• Cook all until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the cream, milk, salt and pepper.
• If the soup is not thick enough for your tastes at this point, you can use the potato starch. Dilute it with 1/2 C water in a bowl and drop into soup a little bit at a time. Mix well while adding or it will get lumpy. Once desired consistency is reached, cook an additional minute.
• Garnish with a pinch of paprika or cayenne on the top with a turn of freshly ground pepper and a pinch of minced parsley.
• Serve warm, or cool completely to freeze.