Good Eats.

I don’t think I cook enough delectables to warrant a recipe blog.  Dan is the real chef.  He can whip up the most complicated meal and make it look simple.  Not me.  I can follow a recipe, but I’m fairly selective about what I’ll attempt.  I don’t take risks in the kitchen.

But I do love to cook, and every now and then I come across a recipe that I feel we should share.  I have a few criteria: easy, few ingredients (the more I’m likely to have in the pantry, the better), healthy and DELICIOUS.

Last week I came upon one that I’ve already re-made.  And I’m pretty sure it will become a weekly staple, well, at least in the wintertime.

The cool thing about this one is that it can be made vegetarian (if you substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth) and gluten-free (if you choose a gluten-free broth) so almost everyone can eat it.

INGREDIENTS

• 2  tablespoon(s) butter
• 1   onion, chopped
• 2   cloves garlic, minced
• 1 3/4 pound(s) broccoli, thick stems peeled and diced (about 2 cups), tops cut into small florets (about 1 quart)
• 1 1/2 pound(s) boiling potatoes (about 5), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 5-6 celery stalks (cut in medium-sized chunks)
• 3  cup(s) canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
• 3  cup(s) water
• 1 3/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup(s) grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, broccoli stems, potatoes, broth, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, about 10 minutes.
3. In a food processor or blender, pulse the soup to a coarse puree. Return the soup to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the broccoli florets and simmer until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan into the soup, and serve the soup topped with the remaining cheese.
4. Variation : If you’d prefer a completely smooth soup, add the broccoli florets to the pot after the potatoes have cooked for five minutes, and continue simmering until all of the vegetables are tender, about five minutes more. Puree the soup until smooth. This would also make a great first course for six people.

Happy eating!  And let me know what you think…