12/7/2025 – Mary made this soup that loosely follows Chef Billy Parisis’s recipe. It was great and to some extent better than the very similar recipe at this site; likely due to the addition of the ham.

Ingredients 

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 0.5 peeled and small diced, medium yellow onion
• 3 stalks of celery, chopped small
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 4 finely minced cloves of garlic
• ~3 heaping tbsp of all-purpose flour
• 6 cups trimmed fresh broccoli heads including peeled/chopped stems. Abt five 5″-wide heads.
• 2 quarts of Ina’s homemade chicken broth from our freezer
• 2 cups of half-n-half
• 8 oz. bag of shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 cups small-chopped ham
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked white pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Add the butter to a large pot over medium heat. Once melted, add in the onions and garlic and cook until lightly browned and translucent, which takes about 8 to 10 minutes while frequently stirring.
2. Next, stir in the flour until combined in to make a roux.
3. Add in the chicken stock and bring to a boil
4. Add the broccoli and shredded carrots and simmer until al dente, or slightly crunchy.
5. Using the emersion blender pulse the soup until it becomes slightly chunky.
6. At this point ensure the soup is thick. If it’s not, make a separate roux or flour slurry and whisk it in.
7. Pour in the half-n-half and stir in over low heat.
8. Mix in the cheddar cheese until combined and melted in.
9. Finish by seasoning with salt, white pepper.
10. Serve with extra shredded cheese.