Ingredients:
2# block of Velvetta Original (yes, the big one)
1 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
1 package frozen Broccoli Florets (fresh works well, but par- steam prior to adding to soup) OR
5 large potatoes, diced (cook until soft in another pan)
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 cups – chicken broth
1 1/2 cups whole or 2% milk
1-2 cups – water (as needed - see note below)
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in fry pan. Fry onion for 2 minutes. Add Minced Garlic. Fry both until onion just begins to caramelize. Remove and scrape contents into a stock pot.
2. Add broth and milk (and water, see below). Heat to boiling. Dice cheese into no bigger than 1" blocks square. Add cheese into boiling stock pot stirring frequently.
Add spices and reduce heat way down to simmer. Direct heat on the pot will burn cheese to the bottom. Prepare to stir every 2-4 minutes or place a diffuser between the heat source and the pot if using a stove. Moving to a crock pot to finish is also a good way to keep the soup from burning.
3. Add broccoli or potatoes and allow to cook approximately 45 - 90 minutes on low heat.
4. If thickening is required, use the puree technique.
[Puree Technique: Remove 2 cups of soup from pot and place in a blender. Blend until smooth and return to pot and mix in. If still not thick enough, use small amount of flour roux.]
[Flour Roux: Start with 1/4 cup of flour and add water, stirring with a whisk until it's smooth and creamy, then add to soup in slow measures. Repeat as necessary.]
Soup will also thicken as it cools. Once cool, if too thick, add milk or water to the mixture.
2016 Note:
This is one of those recipes that the more we make it, the more we tweak it.
A whole lot of this recipe depends on how you like your creamy soups. If you like it with slightly more liquid, add the 1-2 cups of water. If you don't, omit that ingredient and use only a bit as needed to keep the soup from getting too thick. Also note if you use 2 cups of water in addition to the other liquids, it will take longer than the 45 minutes listed in #3 to reduce. Average is about 1.5 hours. Be prepared to follow the thickening technique noted above if necessary.
Tips:
1. Absolutely don't substitute regular cheese for the Velvetta. It doesn't melt like Velvetta and needs a cream sauce to give this soup the volume and texture it needs.
2. You can substitute potatoes for the broccoli and have a great potato soup too. Chop the potatoes into small pieces and cook in a separate saucepan until soft. You can also make a combo broccoli potato soup or add celery and diced carrots, too. This is one recipe that's adaptable to however you like your soups.
3. You can put the soup into a crockpot after the cheese is melted and it can simmer on warm for as long as necessary.
4. This soup also freezes well if you'd like to save portions for lunches or other meals.
