Ingredients

• 50g/1¾oz butter
• 1 onion
• finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• finely chopped
• 800g/1lb 12oz cauliflower florets
• roughly chopped
• 1 litre/1¾ pint vegetable stock
• 250ml/9fl oz double cream
• 2 tbsp reduced balsamic vinegar (or regular balsamic vinegar)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp coriander cress
• 125ml/4fl oz water
• 50g/1¾oz butter
• diced
• 75g/2¾oz plain flour
• 2 free-range eggs
• 75g/2¾oz Stilton
• crumbled

Directions

• For the soup
• heat a large pan until hot. Add the butter
• onion and garlic and sauté for two minutes
• or until just softened.
• Add the cauliflower and vegetable stock and bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 4-6 minutes
• or until the cauliflower is tender.
• Cool slightly
• then place the mixture in a food blender and blitz to a purée.
• Return to the saucepan and add 200ml/7fl oz of the cream. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and return to the boil.
• Simmer for a minute
• then keep warm until ready to serve.
• For the stilton cheese choux
• heat a deep fat fryer to 190C/375F.
• Place the water and butter in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil for a minute.
• Remove from the heat and add the flour in one go – beating well until the mixture is smooth and comes away from the sides of the pan.
• Return to the heat for a minute or two to cook through.
• Remove from the heat again and add the eggs
• one at a time
• beating well between the addition of each egg.
• Add the blue cheese and mix well. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Drop teaspoonfuls of the batter into the fryer and fry for 2-3 minutes
• or until golden-brown and crisp (you may need to do this in batches).
• Drain onto kitchen paper and season with a little salt.
• To serve
• ladle the soup into bowls and place a few of the Stilton cheese choux on top. Drizzle over the balsamic vinegar
• the remaining double cream and olive oil. Finish with a scattering of coriander cress.