Roasted Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

It feels luxurious to have Fridays off, and when I do I try to make the best of them.  This morning I went to Roman Candle in SE Portland for a lunch meeting with the founder of The Portland Kitchen to talk about how I can be involved as part of their volunteer team.  I had Roman Candle's cabbage salad with anchovy raisin vinaigrette and it was so delicious!  We discussed how The Portland Kitchen got started, what kind of foods we like, the foundation of what I would be doing, and last but not least our favorite Portland restaurants.  All in all i am very excited to become involved with such an amazing program and in helping educate and support our youth.  In other news last night one of my very best friends came over to help me cook a lovely meal, we adapted this recipe and were extremely pleased with the results.  Enjoy!

Serves 4

The Ingredients

1 large bunch broccoli, cut into florets

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 bacon fat

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon thyme, chopped

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded

1 1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

2 tablespoon grainy mustard

salt and pepper to taste 


The Process

1.  Toss the broccoli florets in the oil along with the salt and pepper, arrange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast in a preheated 400F oven until lightly golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.

2.  Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat, add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
  
3.  Add the broth and broccoli, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
  
4.  Mix in the milk, cheese, yogurt, and mustard, let the cheese melt and season with salt and pepper to taste.