Potato Leek And Stilton Soup 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.

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.

LEEK & POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Melt 50g butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add 450g potatoes, cut into 1cm cubes, 1 small onion, cut the same as the potatoes, and 450g white parts of leeks, sliced and toss them in the butter until they are well coated.
• Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper and toss again. Put a disc of greaseproof paper (called a cartouche by chefs) on top of the vegetables to keep in the steam), then cover the pan with its lid.
• Cook over a gentle heat for 10 mins, or until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.
• Uncover the pan and discard the paper. Pour in 850ml of the light chicken or vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are just cooked - about 5 minutes. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh flavour.
• Purée in a blender until silky smooth, in batches if necessary, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Return the soup to a clean pan and stir in three quarters of a 142ml carton of whipping cream and 125ml full-fat milk.
• To finish the soup, finely shred the white part of 1 leek and gently cook it in a small knob of hot butter for a few mins until it is softened but not coloured.
• Reheat the soup to a gentle simmer (add some extra stock at this point if the soup is too thick for your liking), then pour into warmed bowls.
• Drizzle the remaining cream over each serving, top with a little pile of buttered leeks and a scattering of chives and black pepper and serve at once.