Nothing makes me feel like I am injecting goodness into my veins than a green soup, even if said soup is enriched with cream and funky blue cheese. I’m a sucker for cavolo nero, but this soup would be equally lovely with kale, chard or spinach, depending on the season and which you like best.
Serves 2-3
2 onions
1 leek
30g butter
1 medium sized potato
200g cavolo nero
650ml chicken stock
120g double cream
2 thick slices of bread
75g gorgonzola
lots of fresh nutmeg
salt, pepper and olive oil
Heat your oven to 180°C fan.
Peel and finely chop your onions, and finely slice your leek. Peel your potato, and chop it into 2cm chunks.
Heat your butter in a large sauté pan over a medium heat, then tip in your onions with a pinch of salt. Cook these over a medium-low heat for about 25 minutes, until they are totally soft.
Tip in your leeks, and cook these down for 5 minutes too.
Pour in your chicken stock, then bring it up to a boil. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes.
Cut your bread into cubes, then toss them with a little oil and salt. Pour them onto a baking tray, then bake them for 10 minutes
Pull your cavolo nero leaves off their stalks, then tear the leaves into pieces. Add these to the veg saucepan, along with 100ml of your cream, then simmer it for another 5 minutes.
Remove your croutons from the oven and cluster them in the middle of the tray. Dot over your gorgonzola, then bake for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Back to the soup. Season the veg pan generously with fresh nutmeg, then pour it all into a blender, and whizz it up until it is smooth.
Pour your soup back into a clean pan, and bring it to a simmer. Season it to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle your soup into bowls, and drizzle over your remaining cream and a little olive oil. Top it with your croutons, then serve it up.