Cream of Broccoli Soup and DIY Creme Fraiche

To make the soup:
Melt the butter in a stockpot or large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and lower heat to medium-low. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the onions and sweat, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened. Lower the heat if necessary to avoid browning the onions. This should take about 5 minutes.

Add the broccoli, stock, and potato to the soup pot and raise the heat to medium-high. Bring the soup to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 25 minutes, or until all the vegetables are soft.

Remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Puree the soup, in batches, in a blender or food processor or use an immersion (stick) blender in the pot to puree the soup to your desired consistency. Add the salt and pepper to taste.

If garnishing, first loosen the crème fraîche in a small bowl with a fork or whisk. Use a spoon to drizzle or dollop the crème fraîche over the soup and then swirl with a toothpick to create pretty patterns throughout.

You can freeze the uneaten, un-garnished soup in tightly covered containers for up to three months.

To make the creme fraiche:

Use a whisk to combine the buttermilk with heavy cream. Cover lightly and leave at room temperature (between 65°F and 75°F) for 24 hours or until thickened (but no more than 48 hours). This is good for two weeks (but I’ve used it longer than that) in the refrigerator. Chilling it prior to use will thicken it further.