Jarlsberg Vegetable Bisque

I am collector of cookbooks and have been collecting for many years. I often read them like novels and put them aside but I have been thinking that I really need to cut back on my cookbook purchases unless it is a "MUST HAVE" and really start using some of the wonderful books that I have collected over the years. I began thumbing through some of those that I had thought to be excellent. I found this book, Come On In, recipes from the Junior League of Jackson, Mississippi to be a book that I can cook from. This book happens to be an excellent book and I believe that the Junior League of Jackson has published three very good books and I have two of them.

I remembered when I first got this book several years ago that I had bookmarked this recipe, Jarlsberg Vegetable Bisque. After looking through this book recently I decided to prepare some of those recipes that I had originally bookmarked. This was the first and I have to say it is quiet simply DELICIOUS!!!!

Jarlsberg Vegetable Bisque
Serves 6-8

3 Tbs unsalted butter
3 Tbs all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 lb fresh broccoli, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 pint heavy cream
1 large egg yolk
8 oz Jarlsberg Swiss cheese, shredded

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt butter, add flour, and cook several minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and gradually blend in stock, then bring mixture to a boil while stirring. Add broccoli, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, 8 minutes. Blend cream and egg. Gradually blend several tablespoons of soup into egg mixture, then add egg mixture to soup and cook, stirring until thickened. Blend in cheese. Can be served hot or cold.

It was an easy soup to make and I used a 6-quart dutch oven. A comfort food soup on a chilly night. Actually I would eat this soup any time of year.

This is a soup that you would want to use the best ingredients you have available. If you love the ingredients you will love this soup.

It is basically a Broccoli Cheese Soup turned up a notch. I did have to add a little more salt and pepper to taste and I shared it with my daughter and son in law. My daughter loved it so much that she didn't even share with her husband, oops. She thought it was amazing.

It is not a soup that I will make often because of the cream but it was only 1/2 pint so on occasion how bad can that be I ask you? I have also identified numerous recipes from this book that I thought would be delicious and will be preparing them soon. All in an effort to justify my out of control collection. Does anyone out there share in that obsession? This book has been a pleasant surprise and I am now wondering, "Why haven't I really utilized this book before?" It's a keeper for sure.

I am sharing this recipe for Foodie Friday hosted by Michael Lee at Rattlebridge Farm. You can see other wonderful recipes shared by clicking HERE.