- 350g/12oz broccoli, florets and stalks cut into small pieces
- 400ml/14fl oz vegetable stock
- 25g/1oz butter
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- 50g/1¾oz Stilton, crumbled, or to taste
- 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- 4 slices French bread
- 100g/3½oz Stilton, sliced
- For the soup, place the pieces of broccoli into a glass bowl. Pour over the vegetable stock.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and place in the microwave. Cook on full power for four minutes, or until tender.
- Meanwhile, heat a frying pan until hot then add the butter. When it starts to foam, add the spring onions and cook for one minute.
- Transfer the cooked broccoli and stock to a food processor. Add the fried spring onions, Stilton and cream and blend until smooth.
- Transfer the blended mixture to a pan and bring gently to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, for the croûtons, toast the French bread under a grill until golden-brown on each side.
- Top the grilled bread with the slices of Stilton and return to the grill until golden-brown and bubbling.
- Season the soup with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Divide the soup equally among four warm bowls and top each with a Stilton croûton. Serve.