Recipes for Cooking with Cheese

White Stilton and Leek Soup

Makes or Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 medium leeks‚ trimmed‚ washed and chopped
• 25g (1oz) butter
• 25g (1oz) plain flour
• 600ml (1 pint) milk
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 140ml (quarter pint) water
• 100g (4oz) white stilton cheese‚ finely grated
• Fresh single cream
• 60-90ml (4-6 table spoons) fresh croutons
• 15ml (1 tablespoon) chopped chives (optional)

Method:

Cook leeks in a little water until tender.  Melt the butter in a large saucepan‚ add the leeks and cook‚ stirring over a low heat for 5 minutes.  Add the flour and stir over low heat for a few minutes.  Gradually add the milk‚ stirring continuously.  If the mixture shows any sign of forming lumps remove the pan from the heat and beat thoroughly before adding more liquid.

Dissolve the stock cube in the boiling water and add to the soup.  

Sieve or liquidise until smooth.  Return the soup to the pan and bring to the boil.  

Remove from the heat and add the grated white stilton slowly‚ stirring continuously until melted.

Serve immediately topped with a little fresh cream and garnished with croutons and/or chives.