Broccoli soup with crispy croutons & goat's cheese

Name: Broccoli soup with crispy croutons & goat's cheese
Yield: Enough for 4 for lunch or 6 as a starter
Ingredients: 2 thick, crustless slices of bread cubed; 1 tbsp olive oil; 900g broccoli; 50g butter; 1 large onion finely chopped; generous grating fresh nutmeg or ¼ tsp dried; 1l vegetable or chicken stock; 600ml full cream milk; 100g medium-soft goat's cheese chopped (rind and all)

Sara BuenfeldEnough for 4 for lunch or 6 as a starterSource

30-60 minutes 600 kcal or less bbc good food broccoli broth nutmeg onion onions soup

Ingredients

2 thick, crustless slices of bread cubed

1 tbsp olive oil

900g broccoli

50g butter

1 large onion finely chopped

generous grating fresh nutmeg or ¼ tsp dried

1l vegetable or chicken stock

600ml full cream milk

100g medium-soft goat's cheese chopped (rind and all)

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 190C. Put the bread in a bowl and add the oil and a little salt. Mix well to coat the bread, then tip onto a baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes until crunchy and golden.

Meanwhile, chop the broccoli stalks and florets, but keep them separate. Melt the butter in a pan, then add the onion, broccoli stalks and nutmeg and fry for 5 minutes until soft. Add the broccoli florets and stock, then the milk. Cover and simmer gently for 8 minutes until the broccoli is tender.

Take out about four ladles of broccoli, then blend the rest in a food processor or with a hand blender, until smooth. Return the reserved broccoli to the soup and check for seasoning. (The soup will keep in the fridge for 2 days or you can cool and freeze it and keep the croutons in a plastic food bag.)

To serve, reheat if necessary and scatter with the croutons and goat’s cheese.