Cauliflower & Stilton Cheese Soup

This elegant and easy soup is another recipe from my tenure as executive chef of Gourmet Magazine’s dining room. The distinctive Stilton cheese flavor is subtle, yet it masks the cauliflower taste some people dislike.

Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups condensed chicken broth
2 cups water
1 large head cauliflower; separated into flowerets
1 cup milk
1/3 cup Stilton cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste

Garnish:
Crumbled Stilton Cheese
Chopped fresh parsley

In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat until golden. Add 3 tablespoons flour and stir for 3 minutes without browning.

Add chicken broth and water. Stir constantly until it boils. Add cauliflower, cover and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Cool soup slightly, then puree in a blender – 2 cups at a time.
Note: Never blend hot liquids in a blender

At service time, add milk and heat soup. Add Stilton cheese, stirring just until cheese melts. Add lemon juice, taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve garnished with crumbled Stilton cheese and parsley.