Carrot And Stilton Soup For Your Microwave Food

CARROT AND STILTON SOUP (FOR YOUR MICROWAVE)

Steps:

• Combine butter & chopped carrot in a lrg microwave-safe bowl or dish w/a lid. Cover & cook on HIGH for about 6 minutes or till carrots are tender.
• Add stock cube + water, cover & cook on HIGH for 6 minutes.
• Blend or process mixture till smooth (I would use my stick-blender for this step).
• Add crumbled cheese + cream & reheat, but do not boil. Sprinkle w/a little extra cheese &/or fresh-snipped chives as desired & serve immediately.

BROCCOLI & STILTON SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbsp rapeseed oil in a large saucepan and then add 1 finely chopped onion. Cook on a medium heat until soft. Add a splash of water if the onion starts to catch.
• Add 1 sliced celery stick, 1 sliced leek, 1 diced medium potato and a knob of butter. Stir until melted, then cover with a lid. Allow to sweat for 5 minutes then remove the lid.
• Pour in 1l of chicken or vegetable stock and add any chunky bits of stalk from 1 head of broccoli. Cook for 10-15 minutes until all the vegetables are soft.
• Add the rest of the roughly chopped broccoli and cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Carefully transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth.
• Stir in 140g crumbled stilton, allowing a few lumps to remain. Season with black pepper and serve.

CARROT SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, and cook until very tender, about 15 minutes. Do not brown. Add the carrot juice, stock, cumin, honey, salt, and white pepper. Bring to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Puree in batches in a blender or food processor, filling no more than halfway. Return to pan, and warm over low heat, thinning with stock or water if needed. Stir in half-and-half, if using. Garnish with chives and cayenne, and serve.

BLUE STILTON SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan, add vegetables, and fry gently for 5 minutes until soft but not browned.
• Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• Stir in the wine and stock and return to heat. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously until the soup thickens then simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
• Cool slightly and liquidize or press the soup through a sieve. Return to the rinsed out pan. Add the milk and heat gently. Stir in the Stilton and English Cheddar, seasonings and heavy cream until melted.
• ** Do not let the soup boil at this stage or it will curdle. Serve garnished with croutons.

ROASTED-CARROT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut onion into 8 wedges (keep root end intact to hold layers together). Toss onion, carrots, endive, oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, and spread in a single layer. Roast vegetables, turning occasionally, until edges are deep golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Cut off root end from onion. Transfer all vegetables to a large saucepan, and add bay leaf. Add enough stock to just cover (about 2 cups). Bring to a simmer, and cook until carrots are very soft, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, and discard bay leaf. Puree vegetables and stock in a blender until smooth (work in batches, if necessary, to avoid filling blender more than halfway).
• Transfer puree to a clean pan; place over low heat. Stir in cream; add stock to thin soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper; stir in ginger. If desired, pipe creme fraiche onto each serving, or place dollop on top.