Celery and Stilton Soup

Celery and Stilton (or other blue cheese) Soup is deliciously decadent. Rich, creamy, velvety-smooth and warming - what's not to like?

Slice the celery into small pieces. Peel and chop the onion and carrot - cut the carrot finer than the celery and onion. Melt the butter in a pan and add the vegetables. Give them a good stir to make sure they are all coated in butter. Let them cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add the stock. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer for about half an hour.

When the vegetables are tender, pour the whole lot into a blender and whizz until smooth. Strain the soup base through a colander, and press whatever's left in the colander with the back of a spoon. The idea is to extract as much of the liquid as possible. You'll be left with some pulp in the colander - discard this.

Return the soup base to the pan and heat gently. Chop the cheese into small chunks and add to the soup along with the cream. Stir until the cheese has melted. Be careful not to overheat the soup, as the cream may curdle.

Serve with crusty bread or croutons.