Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

The sugarhouse needed a new patch on the south wall. I noticed it last week — a board had come loose, probably from the January ice storm that took down the Hendersons' barn up the road. My grandfather built this sugarhouse. My father patched it. Now I patch it. The cycle of Vermont home ownership is: build, patch, patch, patch, consider rebuilding, patch again.

I spent Tuesday morning with a hammer and some boards from the hardware store — not Bergstrom's Hardware, not anymore, Dad sold it in '89 to a man named Porter who sold it in '02 to a chain that turned it into something with track lighting and scented candles. I don't go there. I go to the one on Williston Road that still smells like sawdust and doesn't try to sell me artisanal anything.

While the boards dried, I made corn chowder. It's not corn season — that's August — but I had frozen corn from last summer's garden and a few potatoes that needed using before they grew legs and walked out of the pantry. Corn chowder is forgiving that way. It doesn't judge your ingredients. It takes what you have and makes it work, which is a quality I admire in both soup and people.

Helen's recipe: dice the onion, cook it in butter until it's soft but not brown. Add diced potatoes and enough water to cover. Simmer until the potatoes are almost done. Add the corn, a cup of cream, salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar if the corn's not sweet enough. That's it. Some people add bacon. Helen says bacon is a crutch. I'm not going to argue with her in print, but I will say that I've been known to crumble a few pieces on top when she's not looking.

Sarah called from Portland. The practice is busy — spring brings a run of dogs who ate things they shouldn't have during mud season. Vermont dogs are as stubborn as Vermont people and twice as likely to eat something questionable. Ben's almost two and already has opinions about everything, which Sarah says comes from Tom but we both know comes from her. She asks if I'm eating well. I tell her I just made a pot of chowder big enough to feed a platoon. She seems satisfied.

The sugarhouse wall is patched. The chowder is in the pot. Frost is asleep by the door, dreaming about whatever border collies dream about — sheep, probably, though he's never seen one. Good enough day.

Helen’s corn chowder has its own season and its own rules, and I’ve learned not to argue with either. But the same instinct that sends me toward a pot of chowder after a morning with a hammer — the need for something warm, filling, and unbothered by complexity — works just as well with this broccoli cheddar. It’s the same logic: butter in the pot, something from the refrigerator that needs using, a little patience, and you’ve got a meal that makes a patched wall and a tired dog by the door feel like more than enough.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets, roughly chopped into small pieces
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne (optional)

Instructions

Soften the aromatics. Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
Build the roux. Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture and stir well to coat. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the raw flour smell is gone and the mixture is lightly golden.
Add the liquids. Gradually pour in the broth, whisking steadily to prevent lumps. Add the milk and cream and continue whisking until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Cook the vegetables. Stir in the chopped broccoli and grated carrot. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until the broccoli is tender and the soup has thickened slightly.
Melt in the cheese. Reduce heat to low. Add 2 cups of the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, stirring between each addition until fully melted. Stir in the dry mustard and cayenne if using. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar. Serve with crusty bread or crackers.

Nutrition (per serving)

Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup — The Forgiving Kind of Bowl