Kids’ Share Week 6: 2 Recipes, 1 dish, 3X the Flavor!

This week, we received our sixth Kids’ Share, which included Broccoli, Rainbow Chard, Bolero Carrots, Scallions, Garlic, Easter Egg Radishes, Dill, and Cilantro from Siena Farms, plus a whisk!

For this week’s dish, Abby decided integrate ChopChop’s Oven-Roasted recipe with one of the Siena Farms recipes—it was a success!  “I love the taste of roasted vegetables, so I figured, why not use roasted vegetables in the Broccoli Cheddar soup?  The result was delicious,” reflected Abby. Here’s what she did with this week’s Kids’ Share:

Oven-Roasted Broccoli and Carrots (using Broccoli and Bolero Carrots)
Broccoli Cheddar Soup (using Broccoli, Bolero Carrots, Scallions, and Garlic)

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
From Siena Farms.
A rich, creamy soup that’s quick to make. Serve it with some garlic toast and a green salad.
Makes 8 cups, serves 4 – 6.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
6 cups chopped broccoli, in about ¾-inch pieces
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup panko bread crumbs (white or whole wheat)
1 cup half-and-half 4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated (white or orange, not pre-grated!) — plus a little more for garnish
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1½ teaspoons mustard powder
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Put the butter into the saucepan and set it over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and bubbly, add the scallions and garlic. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
2. Dump the broccoli into the pan. Add the salt, pepper, and mustard powder. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the panko crumbs. Stir.
3. Add the stock and stir. Then let the stock come to a boil. Turn the heat down so that the stock is simmering, and cook for 5–7 minutes, until the broccoli is tender but still nice and green. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the burner.
4. With one hand, drizzle the half-and-half into the pan, stirring with your other hand. Use the stick blender to purée the soup for a minute or two, but make sure to leave some bite-sized chunks of broccoli.
5. Sprinkle the cheese into the soup, stir to mix-n-melt. Add the vinegar and nutmeg, stir. Taste the soup. Add more salt or pepper if you think it’s needed.
6. Serve in warmed bowls, garnished with a little grated cheese.
7. The soup will keep for a couple of days in the fridge. Reheat it over medium-low heat on the stove, stirring often — don’t let it boil or the soup may get grainy. You can also reheat it in a microwave using medium power.

Make it your own

• If you like blue cheese, you can add a couple of tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese along with the cheddar.
• A pinch of smoked paprika or some chili flakes would make a nice, extra garnish on the soup.
• Use whole milk instead of half-and-half.
• Use onion instead of scallions.

Stay tuned for next week’s Kids’ Share adventures!  To learn more about the Kids’ Share, click here.