📋 Instructions

1. 1Sweat the aromatics — Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat (about 350F / 175C) and add the onion, carrot, salt, and pepper. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring, until the onion is translucent and soft and the carrots smell sweet rather than raw.
2. 2Build the roux — Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and whisk constantly for 1 minute, until the flour smells toasted and the mixture pulls together into a pale paste. This step removes the raw flour taste.
3. 3Whisk in the broth — Pour in the broth in a slow stream, whisking constantly so no lumps form. Bring it to a gentle boil over medium-high heat (about 400F / 205C), then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat a spoon.
4. 4Tenderize the broccoli — Add the chopped broccoli and simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes, until the stems pierce easily with a knife and the florets have gone deep, soft green. Do not let it boil hard or the broccoli will fall apart into strings.
5. 5Mash to texture — Press the broccoli against the side of the pot with a potato masher, leaving some pieces whole for body. The soup should look creamy with small green flecks, not perfectly smooth.
6. 6Milk it in gently — Lower the heat to low (about 200F / 95C) and stir in the milk. Warm it for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until the surface steams and small bubbles gather at the edge, but do not let it come to a boil.
7. 7Melt the cheddar — Pull the pot off the heat and stir in the cheddar one handful at a time, plus the nutmeg, until each addition melts and the soup turns a soft, glossy orange-green. Taste and adjust salt.
8. 8Rest and serve — Let the soup stand 5 minutes off the heat; it will thicken slightly and the surface will calm. Ladle into warm bowls and finish with cracked pepper.