CHEESE AND MUSHROOM SOUP RECIPE

HEAVENLY CHEESE, BROCCOLLI AND MUSHROOM SOUP

100g Stilton or creamy mature cheese grated
100g dark green broccoli florets chopped
100g closed cup mushrooms quartered
200g new potatoes – boiled, peeled and mashed up
1 or two large onions chopped
1 red chilli chopped
2 pints strong chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup dried yellow split peas
1 cup dried red lentils
Ground black pepper and salt to season.
A bowl of cherry tomatoes – a variety if possible.
Tablespoon grated Parmesan
Crackers – corn or wheat preferably seedy.
Olive oil

If God was a soup this would be it! And it is simplicity itself. Just takes a little time. As always the amounts are a guide. It’s up to you. Adjust the recipe to suit your taste.

First you need to start boiling a couple of pints of water in a large pan. Add half the onion, chilli, split peas and lentils and simmer for about half an hour (stir regularly) until it starts to become creamy. At this stage you can use a hand blender. Add the chicken stock, the new potatoes, the rest of the onion and the broccoli and simmer for a further half hour, stirring regularly. Add the mushrooms and season with black pepper. Simmer for fifteen minutes. Add the cheese and stir in well. Simmer for ten minutes stirring continuously. Do not let the soup solidify at the base of the pan. Turn off heat and cover.

Chop the tomatoes and season with black pepper and salt. Drizzle will olive oil sprinkle the Parmesan and stir. Stand for ten minutes.

Re heat the soup quickly beating it with spoon until nearing boiling point. Taste regularly. The soup should become thick and creamy. Serve straight way letting your guests add chopped tomatoes as garnish and sprinkling broken crackers on top. Believe me you won’t need a main course after this.