In my house, broccoli is king of the vegetables. We eat it steamed, roasted, stir-fried, raw or covered in cheese (duh). This simple broccoli soup includes tarragon, which created a house divided. Those 40 and older liked the slight hint of anise the scant amount of fresh tarragon added to the soup. However, the 20-and-younger contingent thought it might die from eating what it ascertained to be the equivalent of an entire bag of black licorice. The same group agreed that an alternate version, made with a couple fresh basil leaves in lieu of tarragon, was delicious. And still, the king remains on his throne.
Broccoli Soup
3 to 4 servings
1 Tbsp. olive oil
¼ cup minced shallot
1 lb. (about 5 cups) chopped broccoli, stems and florets
3 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
¼ cup cream cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped tarragon or basil, plus more for garnish
¼ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli and cover, reducing the heat to medium-low. Simmer 15 minutes then remove from heat.
• Use an immersion blender or carefully pour the contents of the pot into a blender pitcher. Add the cream cheese, tarragon, salt and pepper and puree 30 seconds. Add more stock as needed to reach desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve garnished with fresh tarragon and crusty bread.
Dee Ryan is a longtime contributor to Sauce Magazine.
This article appears in November 2016.