Green magic

By Jan Cheshire

THE broccolini plants have not stopped producing.  We really enjoy broccolini, but we don’t want to have it with every meal. 

​However, I have found a delicious soup you can make with broccoli or broccolini, whichever takes your fancy.  It’s called broccoli & blue cheese soup, but I reckon you could put any sort of cheese in it and it would still taste great.

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BROCCOLI & BLUE CHEESE SOUP
Ingredients
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, sliced
1 leek, sliced
1 medium potato, diced
1 knob butter
1litre of low-salt or homemade chicken or vegetable stock
1 head broccoli or a bunch of broccolini, roughly chopped
120 grams of blue stilton, or other cheese, crumbled
 
Method

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

 
Enjoy!