Farmhouse Cheddar Soup

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This delicious vegetable soup is one that I have had resting in my big blue binder for many, many moons now.  The writing on the page is fading and the paper is all splattered and stained . . .  a testimony to the deliciousness of it,  as it tells the viewer that this is a much beloved and often made recipe!

It really uses nothing out of the ordinary.  In fact it uses things that more often than not I have in my kitchen, larder and refrigerator.

Cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, onions  . . .  garlic.  Some good vegetable or chicken stock  . . .

And of course a good strong farmhouse cheddar.  Oh, we do love a good cheddar in this house and this soup highlights the very best of its flavour.  It is creamy and rich and quite moreish.

Even Todd goes back for a second helping, which is really not like him.  He is usually a one serving kind of a guy, but when this is on the menu, he always goes back again.

Today I cooked some cauliflower croutons for on the top.  Simply cut a few florets of cauliflower into thinnish slices, about 1/4 inch thick, and place them onto a baking tray you have lined with some paper.

Spritz them with a bit of low fat cooking spray. One squirt each works well. And then sprinkle them with a bit of the reserved cheddar.  Heat your oven to as high as it will go and pop them in until they are tinged with golden crunchy bits.  Soooo tasty. (It takes about 10 minutes max.)

They look really nice floating on top of hot bowls of this delicious soup.  Dressing it up really nice.  Also if you are low carbing it, make some extra’s for snacks.  So yummy!  (Even the dog loves them.)

*Farmhouse Cheddar Soup*
Serves 8

This soup is delicious. You can reserve a few florets of the cauliflower as well, and saute them in a bit of butter until browned for a garnish as well.  It does look very pretty, but so do toasted bread croutons, especially if you cut them out with a specially shaped cutter!  

2 pints  vegetable or chicken stock (4 cups)

Combine the stock, potatoes, cauliflower, onions, carrots and garlic in a large pot.  Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat.  Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. 

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.  If you have a stick blender, use it to puree the soup until it is smooth.  If you don’t, you will have to use either your food processor or a standing blender to do it in small batches.  Proceed with care though as you can get a nasty burn if you are not careful.  The heat of the soup creates an expansion of air and it can blow the lid right off your blender!  If I am using this method I always put a towel over the top of the blender and hold it down tightly! 

Return the pureed soup to the pan and whisk in the milk, 180g (1 1/2 cups) of the cheddar cheese, dill, dry mustard and white pepper.  Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.  Cook, stirring until all the cheese is melted and the soup is smooth and hot.  

Serve in heated bowls with the rest of the cheese sprinkled on top.  

Farmhouse Cheddar Soup.  Just the name of this soup  brings up a lovely picture in the mind, of an old farmhouse table with a checkered red and white table cloth and the family all gathered around it at the end of the day with steaming bowls of this delicious soup in front of them and plenty of crusty bread.  Maybe that it a bit too Walton’s-like, but hey, it made me smile.  If you are looking for a wholesome, delicious soup to give the family (and lets face it there are not too many soups days left before the warmer weather hits) look no further.  This is the “one!”  Bon Appetit!