Broccoli 'STEM' Soup

Broccoli stems and stalks make for good soup!

I don't know if it's because of the 'broccoli water', the stems, or what--  

this soup is SO tasty.  

I could enjoy this three times a day until it's gone!

After using only the broccoli florets for a quiche recipe, I had a lot of stems/stalks left behind.  Since I'd bought the broccoli at 'price per pound', it would be dumb of me to toss the stems.  They were already washed/rinsed-- so, without peeling them, I sliced all into 1/4" thick rounds (yes, even the BIG stalks, the 'tree trunk' of it)--  then, in about 5 cups of water, I steamed all of that until just tender, and ended up with about 4 cups (one quart jar) of 'steamed bits', and about 4 cups 'broccoli water'.  Set aside while preparing the rest of the soup.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups steamed broccoli stems/stalks, cut into about 1/4" slices/pieces.

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• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 cups of 'broccoli water' left from steaming the broccoli stems.
• 1 cup cream
• 2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoon chicken soup base
• 1/2 pound cheddar cheese, grated.
• 1/2 pound Velveeta cheese, cut into small chunks.  (I used this only because I 'had it on hand'.  You could just include this much more of the cheddar cheese.)
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional, but I skipped it)

DIRECTIONS:

• Steam broccoli stems/stalks until tender, using about 4 cups water.  Drain (save water). Set broccoli and water aside.

• Put butter in heavy stock pot over medium heat and saute onion in butter until transparent. (I use an enameled cast iron dutch oven for this.) 
• Add 1/2 cup flour, stir to blend into smooth paste. 
• Ever so slowly, add the 'broccoli water', stirring/whisking constantly so as to end up with 'no lumps'.
• Add cream, and milk. Blend well with a whisk, but switch to a utensil that can be used to keep the bottom scraped off and stirred well (we don't want any scorching to be happening!).
• Add chicken soup base, stirring to dissolve and to make sure there are no clumps/lumps not blended in.
• Add cheddar cheese and Velveeta cheese, stir until melted in.   
• Add steamed broccoli 'stems/stalks'.  At this point, although I don't think it was necessary, I used my 'stick blender' in the soup and that 'chopped' the broccoli into smaller bits.  
• Season with salt/pepper as desired.
• Add Worcestershire sauce if you wish (I did not, and didn't miss it).
• Personal preference:  In the picture I'm posting, you can see that I used some large-grated Pepper Jack cheese as garnishment; I also stirred some very small gratings of this into the soup (for my own bowl).  
• Serve.