Broccoli Soup au Gratin

Name: Broccoli Soup au Gratin
Total time: 65
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided; 1 large onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 5 cups vegetable broth, or more to taste; 2 pounds broccoli, trimmed; ½ cup heavy whipping cream; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste; freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg; 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper, or to taste; 3 slices country white bread, halved crosswise; 3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Recipe by John Mitzewich from allrecipes.com

Dinner 1 Hr. 5 Mins.

Ingredients

6 servings

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2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
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1 large onion, diced
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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5 cups vegetable broth, or more to taste
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2 pounds broccoli, trimmed
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½ cup heavy whipping cream

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2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
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freshly ground black pepper to taste
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1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
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1 pinch ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
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3 slices country white bread, halved crosswise
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3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Instructions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot over medium heat; add onion. Cook and stir until onion turns translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic; stir for 1 minute. Pour in broth; bring to a simmer over high heat.
Separate florets from heads of broccoli. Cut large florets in half. Cut stems in half and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Add broccoli to simmering broth. Cover and cook until broccoli softens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is very tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Blend broccoli with an immersion blender into a very smooth puree. Stir in cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne. Return soup to medium-low heat; cook until cream is heated through, about 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Butter both sides of bread with remaining 1 tablespoon butter and place on the lined baking sheet.
Bake bread in the preheated oven, turning halfway through, until toasted and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes.
Place 6 oven-proof soup crocks on the foil-lined baking sheet. Ladle soup into the crocks, filling almost to the top. Place 1 piece of toasted bread in each crock; cover with Cheddar cheese.
Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
Place baking sheet under broiler and broil until cheese is browned and bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes.