Blue Cheese & Bacon Soup

To make 4-6 portions.

INGREDIENTS

Stilton Cheese - 250g

Smoked Bacon - 270g

Broccoli - 1 whole head of broccoli

Spinach - 200g

Peas - 350g

Parsley - 1 handful

Shallot - 3/4 average shallots

Chicken Stock - 1 litre

Garlic - 3 cloves

Butter - 300g

White Wine vinegar - 4/5 Tbsp

Cream - 2/4 Tbsp

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To start, cut off the florets of the Broccoli, and finely dice the root.

2. Then cut the florets into bite sized pieces.

3. Finely dice the Shallot.

4. Add a good splash of Olive Oil to a Dutch oven on a medium heat.

5. Add the Shallot and Broccoli root.

6. Season with Salt and Pepper, and sweat off the Shallot and Broccoli root until softened.

7. Finely dice around 3 cloves of Garlic.

8. Add the Garlic once the Shallot and Broccoli root is soft.

9. Cook out the Garlic for around 2 minutes, then add the Broccoli florets, frozen Peas, and a good knob of Butter.

10. Give everything a stir, Season with Salt and Pepper, then pour in enough Chicken stock to cover the Vegetables.

11. Simmer the Soup for around 20 minutes.

12. Cut the Bacon into Lardons, as big or small as you wish.

13. Add the Bacon to a frying pan, slowly render out the fat, and get the Bacon golden and crispy.

14. Add a good splash of white wine vinegar to the Bacon, and reduce this down to a syrup.

15. Cut the Stilton Cheese into small cubes.

16. After 20 minutes add a good handful of Parsley to the Soup, a handful of Spinach, and the Stilton Cheese.

17. Blend the Soup until smooth, then add a small splash of Vinegar, a dash of Cream and the Bacon.

18. Give the Soup a really good stir, and serve.

Enjoy.