Broccoli Stalk Soup with blue cheese or cheesey vegan

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Don't throw out a single broccoli stalk ever again!  Save them up in the fridge or freezer to transform into a humble soup finished with delicious cheesiness.

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 large onion, roughly diced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped/minced

1 stalk of celery, diced  

400g broccoli eg. stalks/stems/leaves/florets, roughly chopped 

1 large potato (approx 200g), peeled and cubed

1 litre vegetable stock

Salt (approx ½ tsp) & pepper

Finish with:

100g crumbled blue cheese 

Or for cheesey vegan version:

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes, plus extra sprinkling for garnish  

Garnish:

Broccoli florets (roasted/stir-fried/steamed)

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium/large pot. Add the onion and cook stirring for 1-2 mins. 

2. Add celery and cook for 2 mins.  Stir frequently to ensure onion doesn’t brown.

3. Add garlic and cook for a further 1 minute until onion is softened and translucent.

4. Add chopped broccoli stalks, cook stirring for 1-2 mins,  then add potatoes followed by the stock. Stir then cover with a lid, turn the heat up high and bring to the boil.

5. Once reached boiling, reduce heat to allow to simmer. Remove any foamy residue with a spoon or ladle. 

6. Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes & broccoli stalk are soft.

7. If using broccoli florets in the soup, add these in the last 4 minutes, cooking until just tender. Don’t overcook so that colour is retained.

8. Whiz/blend the soup until smooth, then add blue cheese or mustard & nutritional yeast as per below.

Blue cheese version:

Keep some blue cheese aside to garnish. Crumble the rest and blend into the soup until smooth.

Vegan version:

Add Dijon mustard and nutritional yeast. Blend.

9. Taste and add seasoning as desired. I added ½ teaspoon salt and several good grinds of black pepper.

Serve garnished with a few stir-fried/steamed/roasted broccoli florets and either crumbled blue cheese or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.