Broccoli (or asparagus) Cheese Soup ©

If you enjoy cheese or cream soups, this is the ultimate. It will serve at least 4 guests, and in all liklihood, they will come back for seconds. Have a few copies of this recipe available because your guests will want a copy. We developed the recipe while living in Colorado, and have given out hundreds of recipe copies since 1979. It's a lot of work and many steps to make this, but you will be well rewarded. Try this once... I can guarantee you will make it over and over again. If you have any questions, please leave a comment.

5 TBS butter
2 Large Onions Diced
¼ tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
½ tsp Dried Thyme
1 TBS Sugar
¾ Cup Sweet White Wine
3 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Cups water
3 TBS Flour
1 ½ Cups Milk
½ Cup Heavy Cream
¼ tsp Dry Mustard Powder
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
Dash of Cayenne Pepper
½ Lb. Grated Jarlsberg Cheese
¼ Lb. Gruyere cheese
1 Bunch Broccoli (or you can use asparagus)
4 Celery Sticks

In a large flame-proof casserole dish, melt 2-TBS butter over moderately high heat. Add the diced onions, black pepper, thyme, and sugar. Reduce the heat to low, place a cut circle of waxed paper over the top of the onions and cover tightly with a lid. Simmer (removing and replacing waxed paper) stirring occasionally until the onions are very soft – about 1-hour and 15-minutes.

Remove the cover and the waxed paper and increase heat to moderate. Cook until the onions are golden brown – about 15-minutes.

Add the wine and bring to a slow boil until reduced by ½ - about 5-minutes. Add the chicken stock and 2-cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-minutes.

In a large saucepan, melt the remaining 3-TBS butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook while whisking for 2-minutes without browning. If it starts to brown, remove from heat and continue whisking. Add the milk, cream, dry mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper and bring to a boil. Boil while continuously whisking for 2-minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses until smooth.

Scrape the cheese mixture into the hot soup; add the broccoli and cook until crisp-tender – about 8-minutes. Stir in the diced celery and cook until heated through – about three minutes.

Serve with hot, French bread or baguettes right from the oven.