I’ve been out and about a lot this week and it has been really cold.  We have been in and out of the water, rained on and soaked through all in the name of good fun and it was great. Nevertheless, when the cold starts to get to you and your morale starts to dip there is nothing (apart from clean thick socks possibly) better than a bowl of hot soup and limitless supplies of bread (preferably homemade, still a little warm and buttered – obviously still hungry as I write.)

Here is the recipe for one of my favourites:

Bonita’s Broccoli and Stilton Soup.

Ingredients – (Don’t be too concerned about measuring. Just enjoy making it.)

1 onion, diced

1 knob of butter

1 large broccoli head, chopped

1 tablespoon of flour

1 pint of milk

1 pint chicken stock

(50g – 100g on taste) Stilton cheese

Method

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the onions in the butter until translucent. Stir in broccoli until glazed. Pop in a little more butter and make a paste with the flour, make sure there are no floury lumps (That is your thickening Rue) Pour in chicken stock, bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the milk heat through but don’t boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in cheese until melted.

Puree soup in a blender or food processor or with an immersion blender to either slightly lumpy or smoothly delicious.

The great thing about this soup is it’s easy, quick to make; and you can swop out the vegetables. Instead of the broccoli and stilton try carrot and coriander. Let me know if you have a winning combination. If you are feeling like making a bowl of soup and would like a couple of recipes, here are a couple of links:

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/broccoli-and-stilton-soup

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/broccoliandstiltonso_76390