- Soup:
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- Gray salt
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 5 cups Progresso® chicken broth
- 2 cups packed fresh spinach leaves
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel
- 1 cup whipping cream or buttermilk (if using buttermilk, use half the lemon peel)
- Freshly ground pepper
- Gremolata:
- 1/4 cup Progresso® panko crispy bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
- Cut broccoli florets from stems. Peel tough outer skin from stems; trim off fibrous ends. Cut stems into 1/2-inch pieces.
- In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat until butter is melted. 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.
- Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together gremolata ingredients; set aside.
- Stir thyme, broccoli stems and broth into soup. 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).
- 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.
- Ladle soup into warm individual soup bowls. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon gremolata onto each serving. Pass remaining gremolata at table.