Broccoli, Pea and Parmesan Soup

I blame my local supermarket for this soup.

Albert Heijn is the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands, and there's one conveniently located just around the block. Every week it has items that are on "bonus", which simply means that they are dirt cheap. This is of paramount interest to me and my housemates -- in fact, our menus are sometimes determined solely by what's on bonus. Carrots for 90 cents? Yep, I'd eat that. I'd eat almost anything for 90 cents. The foodie in me might want beef braised in red wine for dinner, but the student in me is so overpowering, the foodie bows down and marches directly to the carrot counter. Gotta love student life in the Netherlands.

There must be a whopping broccoli surplus somewhere in Western Europe, because this item has been on bonus forever. Every time I enter the supermarket, it's a like a deja vu: first you see the flower display upfront, then the tabacco counter with the heavyset lady behind it, the stack of blue plastic baskets, and then, unavoidably, endless rows of broccoli heads, dark green and huge and proud. And almost instantly, you'd be thinking of yet another broccoli dish to cook, although the foodie in you is getting suicidal from too much healthy vegetable.

My housemates must go through the same experience, because when I get home, there's broccoli everywhere. There's broccoli in the fridge and in the freezer and on our kitchen counter and in the book cabinet (no kidding), and, of course, rotting in the dust bin. The question, "What are you making for dinner?" becomes rhetorical. We start saying, "I really gotta finish my broccoli" with a sense of urgency and panic. We also start disclaiming our broccoli. "Whose broccoli is this?"  "Not mine. Must be yours."  "No I think it's yours. Mine has a telltale spot on this side."

And yet come the following week, we never fail to buy yet another head of broccoli.

So one day, out of sheer panic of having my broccoli wilting out on me (a big no-no for an anal eater like me) and out of sheer desire to conquer my big head of broccoli, I decided to chop it up into little pieces and submerge the pieces in hot water and bulldoze them with my handheld food processor.

This soup tastes rich and comforting, and yet it is actually very light and healthy. Clean-tasting, too, and you don't feel weighed down afterwards. The star of this soup is the parmesan. It brings all the different flavours together. Boiling a slice of parmesan rind together with the vegs gives the soup its richness and depth that salt or stock alone can’t do. By the time the vegs are tender, the rind would be soft, any cheesiness would have melted into the soup, and the smell would be incredible. This parmesan rind trick always makes me feel really smug. I can make a rockin’ soup without having to load it with calories!

Another tip is to use as little broccoli stalks as possible. Yes, not even the small tender stalks. You can use as many of them as you like, but the colour of the soup won’t be as intensely green. You can keep those stalks for other recipes – sliced thinly and lightly sautéed, they are a good base for other soups, stews or risotto.

And while we’re on the subject of hearty soups…

How about pimpin’ it up a little?

I can think of so many ways to jazz up this soup that I wish I had multiple stomachs so I could eat multiple bowls of it with different toppings! I think a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream is lovely, and you can even pimp up the crème fraiche by mixing it with some lemon rind, lemon juice and parmesan. Pimping up the soup by pimping up the topping…How about that?

A dollop of pesto.

Some crispy, herby baked croutons.

Crumbled soft cheese or some parmesan shavings.

Ohhhhh. Yes! Pimp up your soup! Or how about some crumbled turkey bacon?

Creamy Broccoli, Pea and Parmesan Soup

For 4 people

-          3 cups of broccoli, no stalks, sliced thinly

-          1 cup frozen peas

-          1 cup potatoes, sliced thinly

-          1 small onion or half a large one

-          4 garlic cloves

-          4 cups chicken broth

-          1 slice parmesan rind, plus 2 tablespoons grated parmesan

-          2 tablespoons crème fraiche or sour cream, plus more for topping

-          Salt and pepper for taste

-          Olive oil for sautéing

Peel and chop the onion and garlic cloves, then sauté them with the olive oil on a low heat. Sprinkle some salt to prevent the onion from browning.

Make sure the broccoli and potatoes are sliced thinly. This will ensure speedy cooking and prevent the broccoli from losing their vibrant green colour. Once the onion and garlic are softened, throw in the broccoli, potatoes, parmesan rind and chicken broth. Bring to the boil on a medium-high heat.

Once boiling, turn the heat down so that the soup is only simmering.

Check the vegetables after 15 minutes. You want them to be fork tender, or tender but still retaining a bit of a bite. They don’t need to be very tender for you to be able to puree them.

Once the broccoli and potatoes are fork tender, bung in the peas. Simmer for 10 more seconds then turn the heat off immediately. They don’t need to be cooked further. This will keep their vivid green colour.

Fish out the parmesan rind. Puree the soup well with a blender or a hand mixer, and mix in the grated parmesan and crème fraiche. Season with salt and pepper, and some olive oil if you like.

Serve with your choice of topping and some toasted baguette slices.