Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Ingredients for  4-6  Servings

• 1

  Brown onion, roughly chopped
• 1

  Leek, roughly chopped
• 1

  Large garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp

  Olive oil
• 25g

  Butter
• 100g

  Potato, peeled and diced
• 400g

  Broccoli, stalk chopped, florets cut into 2cm pieces
• 1Ltr

  Vegetable or chicken stock)
• 1

  Bay leaf
• -

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 150ml

  Full-fat milk
• 150g

  Mature cheddar, grated
• To Serve

• 100g

  Crumbly blue cheese (such as Stilton)
• -

  Sourdough croûtons

Approximate Times

• Preparation :

  Less than 30 minutes
• Cooking :

  30 minutes to 1 hour

Method

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Gently fry the onion, leek and garlic, stirring from time to time to make sure they cook evenly, for about 10 minutes or until the onion and garlic have softened.
2. Add the potato and broccoli stalk to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the stock and bay leaf. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper, half cover the pan with a lid and bring to a very gentle simmer. Continue to simmer the soup for about 20 minutes until the potato and broccoli stalks are tender.
3. Remove the bay leaf and add the remaining chopped broccoli and milk to the pan. Stir well and continue to cook for another 3–5 minutes until the broccoli is tender. This timing will depend on the size of your broccoli pieces – be careful not to overcook the broccoli, it should still retain its vibrant green colour. Add the cheddar, stir to combine and then blend the soup until smooth using a stick blender.
4. Taste and add more seasoning, if needed, before spooning into bowls and topping with crisp croûtons and crumbled blue cheese.