45. Swiss-Broccoli Soup

Broccoli and cheese always go well together. This recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Soups and Stews Cookbook uses Swiss cheese instead of the usual cheddar. There are just a few ingredients and a short cook time so the soup can be made quickly after work.


Swiss-Broccoli Soup

2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon granules
1 10 oz package frozen cut broccoli
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded process Swiss cheese, (4 oz)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup all purpose flour

In saucepan heat bouillon granules in 1 ½ cups water till dissolved. Add broccoli, cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or till tender. Add milk, cheese, nutmeg and dash pepper. Cook and stir till cheese melts. Combine flour and ½ cup cold water; stir into broccoli mixture. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Makes 4 to 6 servings.


Changes and Shortcuts: None

Results: One of the tricks to melting cheese smoothly into a sauce is to toss the shredded cheese in a little bit of flour before adding it to the liquid and keeping the temperature low. Well, I forgot both of these tips and just followed the recipe. As a result, I wound up with little bits of lumpy cheese in my soup. Today, I also saw a tip on the food channel for melting cheese into a sauce. Supposedly, cheese that is bought already shredded in a bag will melt more smoothly than cheese that you grate yourself. The secret is in the process that the cheese in the bag goes through. The soup tasted good though and was very easy to make.

Keeper? Probably