SERVES 4 PREPARATION TIME 10 MINUTES COOKING TIME 30 MINUTES INGREDIENTS 15g/1/2oz butter 2 bunches spring onions, trimmed and sliced 900ml/1 ½ pints vegetable stock 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves 100g/4oz low fat soft cheese 2 tbsp cornflour 150ml/1/4 pint milk 100g/4oz Cheshire cheese, crumbled Freshly ground black pepper Fresh thyme sprigs, to garnish
METHOD 1 Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add most of the spring onions, reserving a few for garnish. Cook the spring onions over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until softened. 2 Add the stock and thyme leaves. Bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes. 3 Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and add the soft cheese. Blend for 15-20 seconds until smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan. Alternatively, use a hand-held stick blender to blend the soup in the saucepan. 4 Stir the cornflour into the milk until smooth, then add this to the saucepan with most of the crumbled Cheshire cheese, reserving a little for garnish. Heat gently until thickened and smooth, though avoid boiling the soup. Season to taste with black pepper. 5 Ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Serve, garnished with the reserved spring onions, Cheshire cheese and thyme sprigs. Cook’s Tips: Use 1 large onion instead of the spring onions, though don’t use it as a garnish as the flavour will be too strong. Try sprinkling crumbled Cheshire cheese over your own favourite soups – its flavour will really add to the overall taste. Try it crumbled onto Leek and Potato Soup, Tomato Soup or Minestrone. Recipe from Cheshire Cheese