Green magic

By Jan Cheshire

MY HUSBAND Bert planted some broccolini plants this year and they 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!