broccoli & stilton soup

This Nigella Lawson recipe is simply delicious. Jonas and I almost devoured the entire between us and I've been craving it ever since.

Luckily it's very easy to make and the ingredients aren't very expensive. Too good.

Broccoli & Stilton Soup

Based on a Nigella Lawson recipe. Serves 4 as supper or 8 as a starter.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons (45ml) garlic oil
6 spring onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1kg broccoli, broken into florets
3 cups (1.25L) hot vegetable stock
200g crumbled or chopped Stilton
freshly ground pepper

Method:

1. Put the garlic oil in a large pan over a medium heat, add the chopped spring onions and cook for a couple of minutes.

2. Add the thyme and the broccoli, and stir in the heat for a minute or so.

3. Add the hot vegetable stock and bring to a boil, then cover and cook for until broccoli is soft.

4. Remove a few broccoli florets and reserve.

5. In batches, liquidise in a blender with the crumbled Stilton

6. Pour back in the pan, add florets and pepper then reheat. Serve hot.

Note: Nigella uses frozen broccoli, I used fresh.

Broccoli is from the Brassicaceae family, along with cauliflower and cabbage. It’s been part of the European diet for more than 2,000 years and was well-loved by the Ancient Romans. It’s very name denotes its origin, coming from the Latin brachium or branch/arm.

Broccoli travelled from the Mediterranean into Asia Minor, only to head back to Italy in the 16th century, northern Europe during the 17th century and then finally to England in the 18th century. Broccoli was introduced to the USA by Italian migrants in the early 1800s, but only became well known in the 1920s.

Broccoli is jam packed with dietary fibre, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Vitamin A. It provides the vital vitamin B that prevent birth defects, is also good for boosting immune systems, maintaining stronger bones, protecting against prostrate cancer and heart disease and contains all kinds of good stuff that equates to a major cancer fighter.

This week our Weekend Herb Blogging host is Yasmeen from Healthnut. Be sure to check ou her round-up.

The time previously on M&M:
2008 - Muzlu Süt (Turkish almond & banana milk)
2007 - Omani Spiced Tuna
2006 - Spaghetti con Zucchini

Reference:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=9
http://www.freshforkids.com/veg_pages/broccoli/broccoli.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broccoli