OK so last night you had, Spag Boll, Plain simply Italian food, but what do you do with the left over garlic bread??



Put it in the fridge to keep it ready for the best, tastiest, easiest soup ever?.

.....which uses only 4 ingredients!

This is probably the simplest broccoli soup recipe you will ever come across!

Broccoli and Stilton soup makes an excellent first course for a dinner party, or a perfect supper on a cold night. Curled up in front of a roaring fire it will warm the cockles of your heart.

It can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and kept refrigerated until it is needed.

Broccoli and Stilton Soup

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

2lb (1 kg) FRESH broccoli

1/2 cup (1 glass) dry white wine

3oz (75g) Stilton cheese

2oz (50g) flaked, toasted almonds

heavy (double) cream to finish (optional)

TIP

This broccoli soup recipe calls for the brightest, freshest, greenest broccoli that you can find. PLEASE, don't use frozen broccoli!

METHOD

?Cut the broccoli into florets discarding only the base of the main stem.

?Bring 2pts (1 litre) of salted water and the white wine to the boil, pop the florets in and bring back to the boil. Simmer for about 4 minutes or until just tender. Drain reserving the liquid.....this makes your pure and natural stock.

?Put half of the hot broccoli into a blender and add enough of the cooking liquid to just cover it. Whiz on high speed till creamy and velvety in texture. Pour into a saucepan, and then repeat the process for the other half of the broccoli.

?Add the crumbled Stilton cheese to the broccoli soup. Gently bring it back to simmer, stirring occasional to blend in the cheese.

?Add a little more of the cooking liquid if the soup is too thick.

?Finally, taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and freshly milled black pepper.

?To serve, pour into warmed soup bowls, swirl in a little of the heavy (double) cream, and sprinkle over a few of the toasted almonds.

I like to serve this Broccoli and Stilton soup accompanied by crusty garlic bread.