Shelly's Recipe

CHIPOTLE CHEESE SOUP

Category: Soups

1 large broccoli stalk
3 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp celery seeds
2 cups baby carrots, quartered
1 rnedium-size onion, diced
1 to 2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce (to your taste), minced, plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce
9 cups water
2 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp ground savory
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1 cup whole milk
1 lb Velveeta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 tbsp flour

Trim the broccoli, remove the florets, coarsely chop them, and set aside. Thinly slice the stalk.

Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the sliced broccoli stalk, celery seeds, carrots, and onion. Cook until the onion is transparent, 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer the cooked vegetables to a large soup pot set over high heat. Add the chipotle peppers, water, garlic, parsley, savory, salt, and black pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring often.

Add the broccoli florets and bell pepper and stir well. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often.

Add the milk and Velveeta cheese and stir until the cheese melts. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer, stirring often, while you prepare the roux.

In a small saucepot, melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter over low heat. Add the flour and stir well. Continue to stir until the flour is a very light brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the adobo sauce and 2 cups of liquid from the soup, and mix thoroughly with a wire whisk. Transfer the mixture to the soup and stir until well blended. Simmer, stirring often, until the soup thickens, 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 6-8