In a large pot and heat it over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook it for about

four minutes until it has softened, after which stir in the garlic and cook it for another thirty seconds until

it is fragrant.

Over the onions and stir continuously for approximately a minute to coat all of it and

to remove the raw flour flavour. This mixture is known as the roux and it should appear pale and slightly

foamy, not brown.

Adding the broth Beginning with small amounts to avoid it clumping, and then pour in

the remaining broth together with the milk. Continue to whisk the mixture until it has a smooth

consistency, after which raise it to a gentle simmer.

Into the soup and let it simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring from

time to time until the vegetables are tender and the soup has thickened a little bit; at that point, stir in

the nutmeg.

Have become soft, remove the pot from the heat. Now this is important—you

should add the cheese in small handfuls, stirring after each addition to make sure it has completely

melted before putting in any more. If you add the cheese all at once or add it while the soup is still

boiling, you'll end up with a grainy and separated soup rather than a smooth one.

Season with some salt and pepper, but remember that the cheese itself is quite salty. Pour the food

into bowls and serve it while it's hot, preferably having something crisp available to dip it in.

Instead of using pre-shredded cheese, grate your own, as the anti-caking agent that is on the shredded

cheese in the bags prevents it from melting properly. Cut the broccoli into small pieces so that it cooks

evenly and mixes well into each spoonful rather than remaining in large, unpleasant chunks. Each time

you're making the soup, take the pot off the heat before adding the cheese or else the cheese will

break. And if the soup ends up being thicker than you want, simply add a little more broth or milk and

stir it in at the end to get it back to the right consistency again.

If you don't like seeing chunks of broccoli, pulsing the hand blender a few times will give you a

smoother and more even texture. Instead of using all the cheddar, you can replace half of it with

Gruyère or Monterey Jack to get a slightly different flavour. Using half-and-half rather than milk will

make the mixture noticeably richer, should you wish to go that way. To make a lighter version, use two

per cent milk and reduce the amount of cheese to about two cups. And if you're after a smoky taste, a

little crumbled bacon on top will do the trick.

It will remain in the fridge for up to four days provided it is stored in a sealed container. When reheating

it, do so at a low temperature on the stovetop and stir frequently, as cheese soups can separate if they

are heated too quickly. Freezing this dish is more difficult since the dairy usually alters in texture after it

has been thawed; therefore, if you intend to freeze a portion, it's better to leave the cheese out until

after it has been reheated rather than freezing the soup fully assembled.

Yes, you should add it straight from the freezer, though it

will probably take a few extra minutes to become tender because it starts off colder.

This usually occurs when the cheese was added either over

direct heat or all at once. Before putting the pot back on the burner, add the cheese bit by bit and stir

after each addition.

Certainly, you can make this vegetarian by substituting the chicken broth

with vegetable broth and keeping all the other parts of the recipe unchanged.

Sharp or extra-sharp cheddar provides the most flavour because

mild cheddar tends to disappear a bit when it's melted into a large quantity of soup