Curried Cream of Broccoli Soup

[UPDATED November 2, 2012: This ain’t a new recipe (it’s from almost TWO years ago!), but it continues to be popular and the old photos were all kinds of horrible, so I updated this post with new pics. Enjoy (again!)]

This recipe is a perfect example of what I call garbage soup: I pull out whatever vegetables are left in my crisper and throw them in a pot with some pre-made broth. This formula works with just about anything, but if you happen to have some broccoli florets and leeks in the fridge, make this blitzed cream of broccoli soup. My chef sis told me a long time ago that her secret ingredient in pureed soups is a bit of diced apple so I always toss some in.

Here’s what to gather to feed 4-6 people:

• 1½ pounds broccoli
• 4 leeks, cleaned and trimmed
• 1 large onion
• 3 medium shallots
• ¼ medium apple, diced
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or fat of choice
• 1 quart organic chicken broth, bone broth, or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• Kosher salt
• Freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 cup coconut milk

Here’s how to make it:

Trim and chop up the broccoli into roughly uniform-sized pieces.

Don’t waste the broccoli stems. Just trim off the hard, woody exterior and cut up the soft flesh underneath.

Roughly chop the alliums. Remember any combination works – if you’ve only got onions, dice up two large ones.

Dice up the apple.

Once your veggies are prepped, melt the coconut oil over medium heat in a large stock pot.

Add the leeks, onions, and shallots and sauté until softened (5-10 minutes).

Throw in the chopped broccoli and apple, and…

…add the chicken broth. Top off with some water if the vegetables aren’t fully submerged.

Crank the heat up to high to bring the soup to a boil.

Lower to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Next, add the curry powder and season with salt and pepper to taste.

 Turn off the stove and let the soup cool slightly. Then, use an immersion blender to blitz the ingredients.

The result should be a smooth, aromatic green broth.

Add the coconut milk and stir to incorporate it into the soup.

Turn the heat to high, and bring the soup back up to a boil.

Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.

To make this a one pot meal, mix in some leftover meat and dig in.