Broccoli soup with ginger

I think I am very fortunate to have a wonderful flatmate who is a magician in the kitchen.  I am someone who needs a recipe in front of me, and I have to follow it otherwise I don't know what to do.  I do make alterations, especially if I don't have all the ingredients (which is very common).  I have been known to set out on a pavlova making venture, because I had eggs.  Luckily my flatmate was at the supermarket while I was in the middle of beating my egg whites, so I was able to send a few texts to ask him to get some cornflour too.  And vinegar.  And citric acid.  And caster sugar.  In fact, he had to get most of the ingredients I needed to continue making my pavlova.

Anyway, my flatmate is a magician in the kitchen, whipping up wonderful, nutritious, delicious meals in minutes.  On our last visit to the Mangere Markets, we picked up a HUGE broccoli for only $1.29.  "Broccoli Soup!" said Murray.  So we got it home and Murray taught me how to make a broccoli soup without a recipe.  And, of course, it had ginger in it!

Broccoli Soup

1 x Broccoli

1 x head of garlic

1 x bunch coriander, chopped

1/4 cup fresh grated ginger

2 x vege stock cubes

2 x large onions

1 tsp salt

oil 

chop up the onions and fry in oil until soft.  Add 1 tsp salt to help them sweat.

While onion is cooking, grate the ginger;

chop up the coriander;

chop up the broccoli;

crush/chop the garlic (Murray uses a big heavy block of steel to crush garlic with);

Put onions and all the ingredients into a large pot.  Mix the vege stock with a cup of water and pour into pot.  Add more water to cover (approx 3-4-5 cups, depending on size of broccoli and size of pot).
Leave to simmer 15 minutes until broccoli is cooked.  (Try not to overcook broccoli as it will go all mushy and lose its beautiful bright green colour).

Pour into bowls, add a swirl of cream to serve.