Leek And Stilton Soup With Port Food

POTATO, LEEK AND STILTON SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened but not browned.
• Cut the potatoes into thick slices and add to the pan with the vegetable stock and bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Cover with a lid, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are very soft. Remove from the heat.
• Stir the cream and stilton into the hot soup, then discard the bay leaves. Blend with a stick blender (or in batches in a blender), until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
• Divide the soup between warmed soup bowls and sprinkle with extra Stilton and black pepper, to serve.

LEEK, POTATO AND STILTON SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pan bring the stock to the boil. Add the leeks and potatoes. Return to the boil and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes.
• Blend the soup until smooth in a jug blender or food processor or using a hand-blender. Crumble in the Stilton cheese and blend again.
• Season the soup with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the cream and blend until well-mixed.
• Re-heat the soup until piping hot. Serve garnished with parsley with crusty bread on the side.

LEEK, PEA AND STILTON SOUP WITH PARSNIP CRISPS

Steps:

• Heat butter in a large saucepan and add leeks. Cook, stirring often, over a llow heat 12-15 minutes. Add potatoes, stock and herbs, and bring to a boil. Simmer 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add peas and cook a further 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add Stilton, and season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer mixture to a food processor and blend until reasonably smooth.
• Can be kept in the fridge for up to a week.
• For parsnip crisps, cut parsnips with a vegetable peeler into long thin strips. Deep fry in hot oil for 20-30 seconds until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels. Once cooled crisps can be stored in an air-tight container for 1 week.

LEEK AND STILTON SOUP WITH PORT

Steps:

• In a large saucepan cook the leek, the celery, and the carrot with the bay leaf and the thyme in the butter over moderate heat, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Add the potatoes, peeled and sliced thin, and the broth and simmer the mixture, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender. Discard the bay leaf and in a blender purée the soup in batches. Transfer the purée to the cleaned pan and stir in the half-and-half. Heat the soup over low heat, whisk in the Stilton, whisking until the cheese is melted and the soup is smooth, and whisk in the Port and salt and pepper to taste. (Do not let the soup boil.) Serve the soup garnished with the chives.