What To Do With All The Broccoli!

Since I'm just starting to harvest broccoli (and I'm hopeful that there will be a lot if it to come), I thought I'd show you how I'm prepping it for freezer storage and winter eating.

1)   Soak it in a sink full of cold salt water.  I like to let it sit there under water for an hour or so to give any bugs a chance to make themselves known :)

2)  Remove the stalks (but don't throw them out!) and cut the heads into florets.  This  makes it easier to fit them into a steamer and really easy for future meal preparation.

3)  Steam blanch the florets just until they turn color (to a brighter green) and then quickly submerge them in cold water to stop the cooking process.  Don't cook them until they are fork tender - just blanch them.

4)  Drain them and pack them into ziplock bags for the freezer.  See how bright green they are?

5)  Now, for the stalks and a few leaves...

I decided to make broccoli cheese soup which is a favourite around here :)  I checked the stalks to make sure than none were woody and boiled them until they were soft and overcooked.

 I set them aside (with the cooking water/liquor) while I made the creamy soup base from butter, light cream and a little flour.

I added seasoning to taste, then a bunch of grated cheddar.  Once it was melted like a runny cheese sauce, I added the cooked broccoli stalks and also some florets.  Using a stick blender, whizz it down to a puree, then check again for taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.  Voila!  Delicious, nutritious broccoli cheese soup!