Broccoli and Lancashire Cheese Soup

Got to be LANCASHIRE cheese, no cheapo Cheddar!

Ingredients

• 2 Large heads of Broccoli, including stalks, about 650gm
• 50gm Butter
• 1 Medium Onion
• 2 sticks Celery, chopped
• 1 medium Leek
• 1 small Carrot, grated
• 1 Litre Vegetable Stock
• 150gm Baby Leaf Spinach
• 300gm Lancashire Cheese
• Salt and Pepper to season

Method

1. Separate the broccoli into florets and stalks. Finely chop the stalks.
2. Roughly chop the florets, to be added later to keep the soup's green colour.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
4. Sweat the Broccoli stalks, onion, celery, carrot and leek for 15 minutes.
5. Make sure the broccoli stalks are softened, then add the broccoli florets.
6. Cook for a further 6 minutes.
7. Add the Baby Spinach, cook for 2 minutes more and then blend until smooth.
8. Season to taste.
9. Add the crumbled cheese to the bowls and top with piping hot soup.
10. Stir and serve with perhaps a little more cheese on top?