Broccoli, Red Pepper, And Cheddar Chowder

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 cups broccoli (.5 lb)
• 1 large potato (.5 lb)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup 2% low-fat milk
• 6 ounces 2% cheddar cheese

Recipe

• 1 discard tough lower third of broccoli stem.
• 2 peel remaining stem and finely chop.
• 3 cut remaining broccoli into very small (1-inch) florets.
• 4 cook florets in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
• 5 transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking, then drain, reserve 3 cups cooking water for chowder.
• 6 peel potato and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
• 7 cook potato, onion, bell pepper, broccoli stems, and garlic in butter in a 3- to 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• 8 add cumin, salt, pepper, and mustard and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• 9 add flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
• 10 add reserved cooking water and simmer (partially covered), stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
• 11 stir in cream and cheese and cook, stirring, until cheese is melted; season with salt and pepper.
• 12 purée about 2 cups of chowder in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids) and return to pot.
• 13 add florets and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes.