More new recipes: Broccoli-cheddar soup

First blog post on our new MacBook! It's been 14 years since I last used a Mac regularly, so it's taken a bit of getting used to, but I'm getting there.

My husband is perhaps the biggest fan of soups that I know. One of his very favorites is the broccoli-cheese soup from Panera, when it's on form. Since the soups at chain restaurants can be a bit inconsistent - delicious one day, salt lick the next - I decided to attempt my own version, using this cdkitchen recipe and this cheddar soup one from Cook's Illustrated as a starting point. And this is the resulting recipe.

Jieun's Panera-esque Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
(4 servings)

Ingredients
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, minced
1 small rib celery, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 C butter
1/4 C all-purpose flour
2 C half-and-half
2 C low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 lb fresh broccoli, roughly chopped / separated into small florets
1 C julienned carrots
salt & freshly grated pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Saute vegetables:
Heat 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat until foaming. Add chopped onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add carrot, celery, and garlic, and cook until fragrant. Set aside.

Make roux:
Add 1/4 C butter to pan and heat over medium heat until melted. Whisking constantly, gradually add flour. Cook, still whisking, over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stirring constantly, slowly add the half-and-half. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Make soup:
Add the broccoli, carrots, and sautéed vegetable mixture. Cook over low heat until vegetables are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Pour about half of the soup mixture into the blender and puree, then return to soup. Heat over low heat until hot, and stir in the grated cheese, until well-blended. Stir in nutmeg, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

To reheat:
Heat gently over low heat, not allowing to return to a boil.