Broccoli-Mascarpone Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups shallots, sliced, about 6 large
1 1/2 lbs broccoli florets, cut into 1 inch pieces
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
12 ounces mascarpone cheese, 1 1/2 cups, divided (Italian cream cheese)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
salt

Preparation

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat.
Add shallots; saute 3 minutes.
Add broccoli; saute 1 minutes.
Add broth; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and cover; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Cool slightly.
Working in batches, transfer soup to blender; puree until smooth.
Return to pot.
Reserve 1/4 cup mascarpone in a small bowl; cover and chill.
Whisk 1 1/4 cups mascarpone and cayenne pepper to soup.
Season with salt. (Up to here can be done 1 day ahead-see note in description).
Garnish with reserved mascarpone.
Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve.