Description
A rich and creamy purple sprouting broccoli soup with the tangy depth of buttermilk and the bold flavor of blue cheese, garnished with mixed seeds and fresh chives for added texture and freshness. This comforting soup blends tender broccoli stalks with potatoes to create a smooth, velvety base, enhanced by a hint of lemon juice for brightness.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stick, roughly chopped
- 1 large potato (about 300g), cut into 2cm cubes
- 250g purple sprouting broccoli (stalks, florets and leaves), roughly chopped
- 1.1 litres vegetable or chicken stock
- 100ml buttermilk
- 100g blue cheese, crumbled
- 3 tbsp double cream
- ½ lemon, juiced
Garnish
- 30g mixed seeds
- ½ small bunch of chives, finely sliced
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a flameproof casserole or saucepan over medium heat. Add the roughly chopped onion and celery along with a pinch of salt, then fry gently for 10 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and develop sweetness.
- Add vegetables and stock: Stir in the cubed potatoes and chopped purple sprouting broccoli stalks, florets, and leaves. Pour in 1.1 litres of vegetable or chicken stock, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer until tender: Cover the pot and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the thick broccoli stalks can be easily pierced with a knife, ensuring the vegetables are tender and flavors melded.
- Blend the soup: Remove the pot from heat. Add half of the buttermilk and 80 grams of the crumbled blue cheese. Using a hand blender, blitz the soup until completely smooth and creamy.
- Season and enrich: Taste the blended soup and season with salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the 3 tablespoons of double cream, the remaining buttermilk, and the juice of half a lemon to brighten the flavor and add richness.
- Serve with garnish: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top each serving with the remaining 20 grams of blue cheese, sprinkle over the mixed seeds and finely sliced chives, then finish with a drizzle of olive oil for a lovely finishing touch.
Notes
- Using a flameproof casserole or heavy-bottomed saucepan ensures even heat distribution for cooking the soup.
- Vegetable stock keeps this recipe vegetarian, but chicken stock can be used for extra depth.
- Adjust the quantity of blue cheese to taste for a milder or stronger flavor.
- Mixed seeds add a delightful crunch and nutty flavor contrast to the creamy soup.
- The lemon juice is key to balancing the richness from the cream and cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: purple sprouting broccoli soup, blue cheese soup, buttermilk soup, creamy vegetable soup, British soup recipes, healthy soup, vegetarian soup
