Winter Velvet Soup

This is a soup my mum always used to make on Boxing Day with generous amounts of cream and brandy but is equally good without. I used a local cheese called Blue Bay made in Sharpham, Devon but any blue cheese will be fine.

Ingredients

• 1 medium celeriac (about 700g), chopped
• 1 large potato (about 200g), chopped
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 stick celery, chopped
• 1 leek, sliced
• 4-5 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1.5 litres vegetable or chicken stock
• 500ml milk
• 100g soft blue cheese, eg Cambozola
• Brandy, splash or glug (optional)
• Cream to drizzle on top (optional)
• Sage leaves, (fresh or fried in butter) to garnish, (optional)

Method

• Gently fry the onion for 5 minutes or so
• Add the celeriac, potato, onion, celery, leek, and garlic, give it all a good stir then pour over the stock
• Cook on a medium heat until the celeriac and potato are soft, about 20 minutes
• Add the milk, 90g of the cheese and brandy, if using, and cook for a further 5 minutes
• Blend with a food processor or hand blender
• Pour into bowls, crumble the remaining blue cheese on top with a swirl of cream and sage leaves if using