Broccoli cheese soup with meatballs

Ingredients for 5 servings:

• 500 g broccoli
• 250 g potatoes, diced
• 150 g carrot(s), sliced
• 50 g shallot(s), finely diced
• 30 g butter
• 1 liter vegetable broth, homemade, see instructions below
• ½ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
• ½ tsp white pepper, finely ground
• ½ tsp sugar
• Salt
• 350 g minced meat, mixed
• 50 g shallot(s), finely diced
• 1 garlic clove(s), finely diced
• ½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
• 1 egg(s)
• 2 tbsp, heaped breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp, crushed paprika powder, sweet
• 1 tsp, levelled white pepper, finely ground
• ½ tsp allspice powder
• Salt
• 200 g grated Cheddar cheese (Cheddar hard cheese), for the cheese sauce

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes

Wash the broccoli and pat it dry. Separate the florets from the stalk. Cut the skin off the stalk and set all the resulting components aside. Wash, peel, and dice the potatoes and carrots. Rinse, trim, and finely dice all the shallots and the garlic clove, and also set aside. Wash the parsley, pat it dry, remove the stalks, finely chop, and set aside. For the vegetable broth: Boil the stalk, potato, carrot, and shallot scraps, along with the parsley stalks, covered with water until it becomes brothy. Strain the broth into another pot and discard the scraps. Cook the chopped cabbage stalks in the broth. Remove them with a slotted spoon, puree, and cover to set aside. Blanch the florets in the hot broth for about 3 minutes, refresh, and drain well. Set aside. Mix half of the shallots and parsley with the remaining ingredients for the mince mixture, knead into a dough, and season with salt. Form the mixture into small balls and fry in a greased roasting pan until evenly browned. Remove the balls, wipe with kitchen paper, and set aside, covered. Fry the diced mixture in the frying fat, stirring frequently, until it begins to brown. If necessary, add the stock to 1 liter of liquid and pour into the roasting pan with the sugar, spices, and puree. Bring to a boil. Stir in the meatballs and broccoli florets and continue to cook, covered, for about 5 minutes, while gently simmering. Now remove 2/3 of the liquid. Add the grated cheese and dissolve it in the liquid, stirring constantly. Finally, return the cheese sauce and the remaining parsley to the roasting pan, carefully fold in, and season with salt if necessary.