Recipes: Broccoli & stilton soup

A smooth blended vegetable soup with blue cheese that's as good for a comforting meal as it is for a dinner party starter

Ingrediens

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 1 stick celery , sliced
• 1 leek , sliced
• 1 medium potato , diced
• 1 knob butter
• 1l low salt or homemade chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 head broccoli , roughly chopped
• 140g Stilton , or other blue cheese, crumbled

  

  1. Heat the rapeseed oil in a large saucepan and then add the onions. Cook on a medium heat until soft. Add a splash of water if the onions start to catch.
  2. Add the celery, leek, potato and a knob of butter. Stir until melted, then cover with a lid. Allow to sweat for 5 minutes. Remove the lid.
  3. Pour in the stock and add any chunky bits of broccoli stalk. Cook for 10 - 15 minutes until all the vegetables are soft.
  4. Add the rest of the broccoli and cook for a further 5 minutes. Carefully transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth. Stir in the stilton, allowing a few lumps to remain. Season with black pepper and serve.

  DINNER PARTY TIP

  Reserve an uncooked broccoli floret, cut it into small pieces and blanch in boiling water for 1 minute. Also reserve a small handful of crumbled cheese. Serve the soup in bowls, then scatter with crumbled cheese and broccoli for a stylish garnish.

  PER SERVING

  340 kcalories, protein 24.3g, carbohydrate 13.8g, fat 21 g, saturated fat 9.6g, fibre 6.9g, sugar 5g, salt 1.4 g

source: bbcgoodfood.com