Monday 4th November 2019.
Liquid Velvet.
November 5th, 1605. The night Guy Fawkes' scandalous gunfire plot was foiled and the country began celebrations for the Kings safety. Bonfire night holds a special place in my heart, but for slightly more modern reasons than those above. For me it's a celebration of all things in life that make you feel warm, cozy, safe. Unlike Halloween the week before, it's a celebration that all ages can enjoy.
I adore the timeless tradition of standing outside on that misty November night, your warm breath adding to the fog with every exhalation. Soggy leaves led underfoot, intertwined into a blanket knitted by nature to keep the earth warm on these icy nights. As is the case with nearly all celebrations in the yearly calendar, food plays a big part in Guy Fawkes night in my family. In this instance, it nearly always takes the form of a mug of steaming, homemade soup that each person clings onto and carefully sips for it's warmth, while we all gaze at as tower of burning wood.
Soup is criminally underrated. There are lots of very interesting (and often expensive) fresh soups on offer in the supermarkets nowadays. These seem to grab the attention of the high-end shopper and force them to give up their hard-earned cash, but the homemade equivalent often gets snubbed and unfairly labelled as poor mans food. There is nothing meaner about this soup. Rich, velvety and using the king of winter vegetables. The Brussels sprout. Give it a go this bonfire night.
Ingredients:
- 1 large head cauliflower
- 250g brussels sprouts, halved
- 3 large banana shallots, thickly sliced
- 2 fat cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 bunch fresh lemon thyme
- 800ml vegetable stock, hot
- 200ml double cream
- 150g stilton, crumbled
- 25g unsalted butter
- Sea salt and white pepper
- Walnut oil, to finish
Method
1. Add a the butter to a large, heavy-based pan and place on the hob over a medium heat. Once melted, add the shallots, lemon thyme, bay leaves and a generous pinch of salt. Fry for 5 minutes until the onions begin to colour.
2. Add the garlic to the pan and fry for a further minute, ensuring it doesn't burn and go bitter.
3. Break the cauliflower into small, bite size florets and add them to the pan along with the brussels. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly until they begin to take on some colour.
4. Add the stock to the pan, cover, then leave to simmer for 25-30 minutes until the veg can take the point of a knife easily.
5. Turn the heat off, and blitz the soup using a hand blender until it's completely smooth.
6. Place back on the hob over a low heat and add the double cream and stilton, then stir until the cheese has melted and you can no longer feel any lumps. It's important to make sure the soup doesn't boil once you've added the dairy, as it could curdle.
7. Finish by adding a generous pinch of white pepper and taste for salt.
8. Serve in warmed bowls and drizzle each portion with a little walnut oil and some extra florets of cooked cauliflower, if you like. Serves 4-6.
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