# Roasted Broccoli Soup with Basil-Caper Vinaigrette, Cucumber–Fennel–Melon Salad, and Chopped Duck Liver with Egg > Roasted broccoli makes a silky, savory soup, sharpened with a spoonful of basil and briny capers. Cool cucumber, shaved fennel and ripe melon bring summer crunch alongside coarsely chopped duck liver and hard-boiled egg, finished with chives and a little pickle acidity. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/roasted-broccoli-soup-with-basil-caper-vinaigrette-cucumber-fennel-melon-salad-c - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2026-08-04 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, paleo, nut-free ![Roasted Broccoli Soup with Basil-Caper Vinaigrette, Cucumber–Fennel–Melon Salad, and Chopped Duck Liver with Egg](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F368c25f9a8f309a4.jpg) ## Roasted Broccoli Soup Roasting develops sweetness and lightly browned edges, while peeled broccoli stems give the blended soup body without a separate thickener. ### Ingredients - 1.5 lb broccoli, including tender stems - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided - 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced - 2 cloves garlic, sliced - 3 cups gluten-free chicken or vegetable stock, plus more as needed - 1 teaspoon lemon juice, plus more to taste - to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the broccoli into 1½-inch florets. Peel the tough skin from the stems and slice the tender centers ¼ inch thick. 2. Toss the broccoli with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt. Spread on a large sheet pan and roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until tender with lightly browned edges; avoid deeply blackening it. 3. Meanwhile, warm the remaining tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and soften for 8–10 minutes without browning. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. 4. Add the roasted broccoli and stock. Simmer gently for 5–8 minutes, until the stems crush easily against the side of the pot. 5. Blend until very smooth, working in batches with the blender lid vented safely for hot liquid. Add stock as needed for a thick but pourable consistency. 6. Return to the pot, add the lemon juice and adjust salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat without prolonged boiling. ### Notes - For an especially fine texture, pass through a medium-fine sieve after blending. ## Basil-Caper Vinaigrette A coarse, spoonable vinaigrette gives the mellow soup a distinct pocket of herbal brightness and brine. ### Ingredients - 1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves - 2 tablespoons drained capers, half roughly chopped and half left whole - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar - 1 teaspoon finely minced shallot - to taste freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt ### Instructions 1. Combine the vinegar and shallot and let stand for 5 minutes. 2. Finely slice the basil just before mixing. Stir it into the shallot mixture with the capers and olive oil. 3. Season with pepper and taste before adding salt. Keep the mixture coarse rather than blending it into a smooth sauce. ### Notes - If the capers are particularly salty, rinse and dry them before using. Stir the vinaigrette again before spooning it over the soup. ## Cucumber, Fennel and Melon Salad Thin, crisp vegetables contrast with juicy melon, while mint and a restrained lemon dressing keep the fruit savory and refreshing. ### Ingredients - 1 large English cucumber, about 12 ounces - 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cored - 2 cups ripe cantaloupe, peeled and cut into thin bite-size wedges - 2 scallions, thinly sliced - 1/4 cup mint leaves, torn - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice - to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Slice the cucumber into thin rounds and shave the fennel very thinly with a knife or mandoline. 2. If the fennel needs crisping, soak it in ice water for 5–10 minutes, then drain and dry thoroughly. 3. Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice with a small pinch of salt and pepper. 4. Just before serving, toss the cucumber, fennel and scallions with the dressing. Gently fold in the melon and mint so the wedges stay intact. 5. Taste a bite containing both melon and vegetables and adjust the lemon and salt. Serve promptly. ### Notes - Chill the produce ahead of time, but dress only at serving so the cucumber stays crisp and the melon does not flood the bowl. ## Chopped Duck Liver and Hard-Boiled Egg Keeping the liver and egg in distinct, coarse pieces preserves their contrasting textures. Shallot, cornichons and chives balance the richness without a heavy dressing. ### Ingredients - 1 lb fresh duck livers, not foie gras - 4 large eggs - 1.5 tablespoons ghee - 1 small shallot, thinly sliced - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar - 3 tablespoons gluten-free cornichons without added sugar, coarsely chopped - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil - 2 tablespoons finely sliced chives - 1 tablespoon chive blossom florets, optional - to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Lower the eggs into gently boiling water and cook for 11 minutes. Transfer to ice water for 5 minutes, then peel and cut into rough ¾-inch pieces. 2. Toss the shallot with the vinegar and a pinch of salt. Let stand while cooking the liver. 3. Trim connective tissue and any green-stained areas from the livers. Separate large lobes so the pieces are similar in thickness, pat very dry and season with salt and pepper. 4. Heat the ghee in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the livers in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Sear for about 2 minutes per side, then reduce the heat and continue cooking as needed until the thickest pieces reach 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Avoid cooking beyond that point. 5. Transfer to a clean plate and rest for 5 minutes. Chop into irregular ½–¾-inch pieces rather than mincing. 6. Combine the liver with the shallot and its vinegar, cornichons and olive oil. Gently fold in the egg and half the chives. Taste and adjust seasoning. 7. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl and scatter with the remaining chives and optional chive blossoms. Serve warm or at cool room temperature. ### Notes - Poultry liver should reach 165°F throughout; color alone is not a reliable doneness test. Check several of the largest pieces. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The oven time covers most of the cold preparation, leaving only liver cooking and final salad assembly for the end. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 – Heat the oven to 425°F, prepare the broccoli and put water on for the eggs. 2. 0:10 – Roast the broccoli, cook the eggs and start softening the soup onion. 3. 0:20 – Cool and peel the eggs. Prepare the vinaigrette, macerate the liver's shallot, and slice the salad vegetables. Keep the salad undressed and chilled. 4. 0:35 – Simmer the roasted broccoli in the stock, then blend and season the soup. 5. 0:40 – Trim and sear the livers while the soup stays warm. 6. 0:50 – Rest and chop the liver, then assemble it with the egg and garnishes. 7. 0:55 – Dress the salad, ladle the soup and add its vinaigrette. Bring all three dishes to the table together. ## Plating Separate bowls keep the soup warm, the salad crisp and the liver's texture intact, while making the three dishes easy to share. ### Instructions 1. Divide the soup among four small warm bowls. Spoon the basil-caper vinaigrette into the center of each, leaving a little olive oil visible around the herbs. 2. Mound the salad in a shallow serving bowl, bringing several orange melon wedges to the top. 3. Serve the chopped liver and egg in a separate shallow bowl, with the egg pieces visible and the chives scattered generously over the surface. 4. Set out the salad and liver family-style alongside the individual soup bowls. ## Leftover Path Storing each dish separately preserves the soup's smoothness and prevents the salad's juices from soaking the other components. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in separate covered containers. Cool soup promptly in shallow containers. 2. Keep the soup for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat gently to 165°F, loosening with stock or water, and add reserved vinaigrette after heating. 3. Keep the basil-caper vinaigrette refrigerated for up to 2 days. 4. Eat the dressed salad by the next day; drain accumulated liquid and refresh with a few mint leaves before serving. 5. Keep the liver-and-egg mixture refrigerated for up to 3 days. Serve chilled as a chopped salad, or reheat gently to 165°F; the egg will become firmer when reheated. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.