Broccoli and Cheese Soup

By Ryan Mckay

Winter is here–much faster than I had anticipated, but that won’t stop me from sharing a great cold weather recipe like the classic Broccoli & Cheese Soup. This recipe is near and dear to my heart, as it brings me back to my days of strolling down the paths of my favorite place to experience southern California with my family, Disneyland. Outside if the crashing waves of my beloved southern California shore, Disneyland is what I think of most when people ask me about my time spent growing up there. On a side note, I’d also consider retiring there and working with the Disneyland Fire Department, which I found out is comprised of mostly retired southern California firefighters. What a job!

More specifically with this recipe, Broccoli and Cheese Soup was a staple that my family and I would look forward to when visiting the Disneyland California Adventure Park. Inside the park was a recreation of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf (the way only Disney can do), including the great bakery and soup restaurant The Pacific Warf Café. The warm and comforting soup in a bread bowl was a fantastic way to dust off the chill of the night and sit back and enjoy the great atmosphere. In sharing this recipe with you, I hope to recreate the same sense of warmth and comfort when spending time with your family or crew. Indulge!

Some after the fire critiques: Before you ask, yes, most broccoli and cheese soups contain milk, half & half, or heavy cream, but I’m trying to keep the soup light and with a Latin flair. Same thing with the sliding scale on the amount of cheese: Add to taste. But when at home and not operating heavy machinery, substitute a nice beer or dairy (milk, half & half or heavy cream) for a cup of the chicken stock. I recommend something with some dark, bold flavors like an IPA or stout.

Fuel

Broccoli (roughly 3 cups)

• Florets (2 cups, chopped)
• Stems (1 cup, peeled and chopped)

White Cheddar Cheese (2-4 cups, shredded)

Canadian Bacon (1 cup, chopped)

Poblaño (charred, peeled, deseeded, and chopped)

Onion (one medium, chopped)

Potato (1 cup, chopped)

Garlic (2-3 cloves, chopped)

Chicken Stock (4 cups)

Cumin Seed (1 tsp., toasted and ground)

Butter (2 Tbs., cubed)

Flour (3 Tbs.)

Pepper and Salt to taste

Tools

Dutch Oven

Spice/Coffee Grinder

Slotted Spoon

Aluminum Foil

Tongs

Tactics

1. Place the poblaño over direct flame on the stovetop.
2. Char on all sides, then loosely wrap in aluminum foil and allow to steam for 10 minutes.
3. Place the poblaño under running water and peel the skin; split open the poblaño and remove the seeds (and veins if you don’t want it too spicy), then chop into bite size pieces.
4. Toast the cumin seeds in a small sauté pan over medium heat and until slightly browned and the aroma is strong.
5. Remove cumin seeds from heat and grind until a fine powder.
6. Place the Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Place the Canadian bacon in and brown for about 5-8 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined bowl.
7. Put onion in and cook for 5-8 minutes or until translucent.
8. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
9. Make a small well in the middle of the sautéed vegetables, then add butter.
10. Melt butter, then add the flour, then mix until incorporated and cook for an additional 3 minutes (to remove the flour taste).
11. Pour in the chicken stock and deglaze the bottom (use the spatula to scrap the bottom to remove the goodness).
12. Add the potato, broccoli stems, poblaño, and cumin, and stir to combine.
13. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
14. Add the broccoli florets, Canadian bacon, and cheddar cheese, then mix to combine (and melt cheese).
15. Add pepper and salt to taste. Enjoy.

Ryan McKay is a 12-year fire service veteran and a firehouse cook from Atlanta, Georgia. His goal is to bring the fast-paced lifestyle of the fire service with the slow-paced art of cultivating family and crew through the tool that is food. He has made an appearance on NBC’s primetime show “Food Fighters,” is a co-founder of the Metro Atlanta EMS Conference, and works intimately with the SafePath Child Advocacy Center.