Broccoli soup with seaweed-butter crouton

This broccoli soup is quite indulgent with butter and cream for a thicker consistency, served with sourdough croutons topped with a herby seaweed butter.

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 50 g butter
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 heads broccoli, cut into florets, stalks roughly chopped
• salt, to season
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 60 ml (¼ cup) thickened cream (optional)
• ½ sourdough baguette, sliced
• lemon wedges, to serve

Seaweed butter

• 2 sheets nori
• ½ cup shiokombu (see Note)
• 80 g butter, softened
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and stir for about 2 minutes or until translucent. Add the broccoli stalks, season well with salt and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the florets and cook for just 2 minutes.
2. Transfer the contents of the saucepan to a blender with the lemon juice. Carefully blend to a smooth puree. Add the cream (if using) and blend to combine. Adjust the seasoning and consistency if necessary.
3. Meanwhile, for the seaweed butter, toast the nori sheets over an open flame for a few seconds to help crisp them up. Tear into pieces, then place into a small food processor bowl with the shiokombu and blitz until coarsely chopped. Add the butter and process until well combined and smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir through the chopped parsley.
4. Preheat a grill to high. Generously spread the seaweed butter onto one side of the baguette slices, place on a baking tray and grill until the butter is bubbling and the bread is toasted.
5. Divide the soup between 4 bowls and float a crouton in each. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Note

• Shiokombu are small strips of kelp boiled in soy sauce and are available from Asian grocers.

Photography by Adam Liaw.

Want more from The Cook Up?

• Stream free here at SBS On Demand.

• Get the show recipes, articles and more here.

• Cook more Adam Liaw recipes here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.