Cheddar, Broccoli & Potato Chowder

Cheddar, Broccoli & Potato Chowder. I fancied a bowl of soup today and had been eyeballing this recipe that I found in a Better Homes & Gardens magazine, called Potato Recipes, dig in.
I had everything in the house to make it today and since I was going out for supper with my father and his friends tonight, thought I would make myself a bowl of soup for my lunch instead of my usual dinner. I normally eat my big meal of the day at noon.
Cheddar, Broccoli & Potato Chowder

I've been having one of those days. You know the type I mean. Days when everything you touch turns to dust. I baked a cake this morning, based on a recipe I found here.
Sadly, it did not turn out. It stuck horribly to the pan for one thing.
Coconut Cake

I think that is because there is too much sugar in the recipe. It also has quite a rubbery consistency. Fair dues I did bake it in a Bundt pan rather than a large loaf tin.
I should have known better. When the amount of sugar in a cake recipe is equal to the amount of flour, it's not really going to be a great cake.
This also contributes to it sinking in the middle. If you check out her photos, you will see it is sunken in the middle as well. I really should have known better.
Cheddar, Broccoli & Potato Chowder

Then I burnt the bacon for topping my soup, not once but twice. I was fussing over the cake and forgot the bacon in the pan. Bad me.
Anyways, I was able to salvage enough of it to sprinkle on top, so all was not lost.
I also didn't have much in the way of white cheddar. I only had dark orange cheddar. I prefer to use white cheddar myself. I don't really like the color orange cheddar dyes things. Having said that however, this is a very good soup.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHEDDAR, BROCCOLI & POTATO CHOWDER
There is nothing complicated here. Simple ordinary ingredients. I did adapt the recipe to make two servings. If you wish to make more, simply double or triple.

1/2 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 TBS butter
salt and black pepper to taste
pinch dried thyme
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cups (480ml) chicken stock
1 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup (60g) grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (60g) dairy sour cream
1 slice bacon, crisp cooked and crumbled
1 spring onion, trimmed and chopped

You want to use a floury potato such as a russett or Maris piper for this soup as you want a potato that will break down once it is cooked. A potato that is normally great for mashing.
I confess I used frozen broccoli as I didn't have any fresh broccoli. It worked out very well.

HOW TO MAKE CHEDDAR, BROCCOLI & POTATO CHOWDER
Its very simple really. As I said, there is nothing complicated here.

Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan, over medium heat. Once it begins to foam add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened without browning. Add the thyme and salt and black pepper to taste.Add the potatoes and chicken stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are quite tender.

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Stir in the broccoli and cook until the broccoli is just tender. (2 to 3 minutes.)

Reserve 2 TBS of the cheese for a garnish. Stir the remainder into the soup along with the sour cream. Stir to melt the cheese.Spoon the hot soup into heated bowls. Top each serving with 1 TBS of the cheese, some of the crumbled bacon and some spring onions.

It did say in the magazine that for a smoother finish you could use an immersion blender, or blend it carefully in a regular blender. I don't mind a bit of texture in my soup, so I just mashed the potatoed with a potato masher.
This was a very simple soup to make with lovely rich flavors. It also had a lovely texture. If you served it with some crusty bread it would make an excellent hearty lunch, or even a delicious light supper.

Some other soups which I really enjoy in the Winter months are:
WINTER VEGETABLE SOUP WITH CHEESE DUMPLINGS Soup with dumplings? Count me in! Especially cheese dumplings. Simple to make and using simple everyday ingredients. It's also a great way to use up what's in the fridge. This is a deliciously hearty soup with plenty of vegetables, ham and fluffy cheese dumplings.

LEMON & CHICKEN SOUP This is a fabulously tasty chicken soup, with fresh flavours! It uses chicken stock along with lemon juice. You might think the lemon would be overpowering, but it really isn't. It adds a lovely layer of flavor that is quite pleasant! It is delicious and hearty. You can make everything up to adding the pasta ahead of time, but do wait until you are almost ready to serve the soup to add the pasta to avoid overcooking it.

Yield: 2Author: Marie Rayner