Method
Vegetable preparation: Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic cloves.
Broccoli preparation: Cut the broccoli into florets, reserving the stalk. Peel the stalk and chop it into small pieces.
Base cooking: In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Broccoli cooking: Add the broccoli florets and chopped stalk to the pan. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes.
Simmering: Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until the broccoli is very tender.
Blending: Remove the pan from the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until completely smooth. (Alternatively, carefully transfer to a blender and blend in batches). If you like a chunky texture, reserve some broccoli florets before blending and stir them in at the end.
Cream incorporation: Return the soup to low heat. Stir in the heavy cream, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Heat gently, but do not boil.
Cheese addition: Grate the Parmesan cheese and stir it into the soup until melted and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serving: Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot, optionally garnished with extra Parmesan or a swirl of cream.
Refrigerate: Store creamy broccoli soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The soup may thicken when chilled; reheat gently and add broth if needed.
Freezing: Freezing is possible but with caution due to the heavy cream. Cream-based soups may separate upon freezing. To avoid this, prepare and freeze the soup without the cream and cheese. Freeze for up to 2 months. After thawing, reheat gently and stir in the cream and cheese before serving.
