Very Green Broccoli Soup

 

1 1/2

lb fresh broccoli

2

tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1

tablespoon unsalted butter

1

tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1

cup finely chopped onion

1/2

cup finely chopped celery

Gray salt

2

teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

5

cups Progresso® chicken broth (from two 32-oz cartons)

2

cups packed fresh spinach leaves

2

teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel

1

cup whipping cream or buttermilk (if using buttermilk, use 1 teaspoon lemon peel)

Freshly ground pepper

1/4

cup Progresso® panko crispy bread crumbs

2

tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2

tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

• 1 Cut broccoli florets from stems. Peel tough outer skin from stems; trim off fibrous ends. Cut stems into 1/2-inch pieces.
• 2 In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until light brown. Stir in onion and celery; season with salt. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
• 3 Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together gremolata ingredients; set aside.
• 4 Stir thyme, broccoli stems and broth into soup. Heat to boiling. Cook uncovered over medium heat about 3 minutes. Stir in broccoli florets; cook about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is very tender. Stir in spinach and lemon peel (spinach will wilt).
• 5 In blender, cover and puree soup in small batches. (At this point, soup can be covered and refrigerated up to 1 day or frozen up to 1 month.) Return soup to Dutch oven; reheat over medium-low heat. Stir in cream; season to taste with additional salt and the pepper.
• 6 Ladle soup into warm individual soup bowls. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon gremolata onto each serving. Pass remaining gremolata at table.