Very Green Broccoli Soup

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb broccoli fresh
• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin extra-virgin
• 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
• 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped
• 1 cup onion finely chopped
• 0.5 cup celery finely chopped
• 1 serving vodka 
• 2 teaspoons thyme sprigs fresh finely chopped
• 5 cups chicken broth (from two 32-oz cartons)
• 2 cups pkt spinach fresh packed
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest freshly grated
• 1 cup whipping cream (if using buttermilk, use 1 teaspoon lemon peel)
• 1 serving pepper freshly ground
• 0.3 cup panko bread crumbs crispy
• 2 tablespoons parsley fresh chopped
• 2 tablespoons pinenuts toasted

Equipment

• bowl
• ladle
• blender
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Cut broccoli florets from stems. Peel tough outer skin from stems; trim off fibrous ends.
2. Cut stems into 1/2-inch pieces.
3. In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat until butter is melted.
4. Add garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until light brown. Stir in onion and celery; season with salt. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
5. Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together gremolata ingredients; set aside.
6. Stir thyme, broccoli stems and broth into soup.
7. Heat to boiling. Cook uncovered over medium heat about 3 minutes. Stir in broccoli florets; cook about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is very tender. Stir in spinach and lemon peel (spinach will wilt).
8. In blender, cover and puree soup in small batches. (At this point, soup can be covered and refrigerated up to 1 day or frozen up to 1 month.) Return soup to Dutch oven; reheat over medium-low heat. Stir in cream; season to taste with additional salt and the pepper.
9. Ladle soup into warm individual soup bowls.
10. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon gremolata onto each serving. Pass remaining gremolata at table.