Broccoli and shallot add colour and freshness to this rich combination of potato and cheese. You can use Caerphilly or Wensleydale in place of the mascarpone if you prefer.
Preparation Time:
20 mins
Cooking Time:
40 mins
Serves:
4
Freeze:
up to 3 months
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 10g butter
- 2 large banana shallots, finely chopped
- 350g floury potatoes, chopped into 2.5cm chunks
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
- 4 tbsp mascarpone
- 4 croûtes
- 30g creamy, strong-flavoured blue cheese, such as Roquefort, fourme d’Ambert, or Gorgonzola piquante
Directions:
- Heat the oil and butter in a sauté pan over a moderate heat, add the shallots and potatoes, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile, boil 1.5 litres water in the kettle.
- Pour 1.35 litres of the boiling water into the pan and stir well. Season lightly with sea salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the broccoli, stir, cover again, and continue cooking for 10–15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Leave to cool for several minutes, then transfer the contents of the pan to a blender and whizz until smooth. Strain the soup back into the pan through a sieve, using a wooden spoon to push as much of the mixture through as possible.
- Pour in the rest of the hot water. Place the pan over a moderate heat, stir in the mascarpone, and keep stirring until it has blended in. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the croûtes with the blue cheese, ladle the soup into bowls, and float a piece in the centre of each one.
Recipe extracted from The Soup Book: 200 Recipes Season by Season by Sophie Grigson
