Broccoli Chowder

After Thanksgiving. Ryan drove back to Bridgeport after dessert and I stayed one more night at Steve and Patty's. In the morning, Patty and I had coffee at the kitchen table before Steve was up, and she said "He's good." I said I know. She said "He looked at you from across the room when Babcia Rose said he was okay." I said I know, I saw. She said "He knows what it means." I said yes. She held her coffee cup. She said "You look happy." I said I am. She said "Good." Then Steve came down for coffee and the conversation was over in the way Kowalczyk conversations end: cleanly, completely, nothing left unsaid.

Back in Pilsen on Sunday. The city in late November has a specific quality — the gray and the lights and the smell of the holidays starting in the storefronts on 18th Street, the tamale vendors appearing at the corners. I walked to the farmers market — the last one before they close for winter — and bought the final apples and a bag of dried beans and some late root vegetables. Twenty-three dollars for food that will take me into January. The last winter market. The season turning.

Made potato leek soup this week — leeks on sale at Jewel, one dollar fifty a bunch, three Yukon Golds, chicken broth, a little cream, chives. Blended smooth and pale. Under two dollars for a pot. The apartment smelled like November soup and the book draft was open and Ryan texted from the firehouse to say the pie had been the right call. I said yes. He said "Your family is good." I said I know. He said "I'm glad I came." I said me too. That is the whole of it, in six exchanges. Me too.

Christmas is coming. Ryan is coming to Christmas — Kristin's instruction, which I relayed to him, which he accepted without any visible anxiety, which I found either admirable or slightly terrifying. He said "Last time she said she was still deciding. Has she decided?" I said yes. He said "In my favor?" I said you brought the apple pie. He said "Then yes." He is not wrong about this.

The potato leek soup came together in the same spirit as this — whatever was on sale, whatever was left in the crisper, blended smooth and pale until the apartment smelled exactly like it should in late November. Broccoli chowder follows the same logic: a handful of honest ingredients, a low simmer, and something warm waiting when the draft is open and the texts are coming in from the firehouse. It is the kind of cooking that asks almost nothing of you and gives back more than it should.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
4 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets
3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh chives or parsley, for serving

Instructions

Sauté aromatics. Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add potatoes and broth. Add the diced potatoes and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, until potatoes begin to soften.
Add broccoli. Stir in the broccoli florets. Continue simmering for another 10 to 12 minutes, until both the potatoes and broccoli are fully tender.
Blend partially. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup partway — leave some texture, or blend fully smooth if you prefer a silkier chowder. Alternatively, transfer half the soup to a blender, blend until smooth, and return it to the pot.
Finish with dairy and cheese. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the milk, heavy cream, dry mustard, and smoked paprika. Add the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until fully melted and incorporated. Do not boil after adding cheese.
Season and serve. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh chives or parsley.

Nutrition (per serving)

Broccoli Chowder — The Soup You Make When the Season Turns