Veg Box Recipes • Potato Recipe - French Blue Cheese & Potato Soup

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French Blue Cheese And Potato Soup

French Blue Cheese And Potato Soup I discovered this potato soup recipe whilst on holiday in the Auvergne region of France.

The Auvergne is the area surrounding Clermont Ferrand, in central France, about 3 hours south of Paris. It's famous for its volcanoes and cheeses.

Many of the local dishes are based on potatoes, cream and cheese, and this one is no exception.

Historically, it's been a farming region, so those working on the land needed a quick fix of calories, to keep them going all day.

This version has been adapted to make it slightly less artery-clogging..

But it's so delicious and simple to make that you'll want to enjoy it now and then as a treat.

It's also a great way for using up a surplus of potatoes (that's my excuse, anyway!)

Ingredients

New Potatoes Serves 4

1kg potatoes (the type that will mash)
2 medium onions, peeled & chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed
200g blue cheese, cubed (see note on point 6, below)
1 knob of butter
30g oil (e.g. olive oil)
About 1 litre vegetable stock (or water and a stock cube)
150ml cream (double or single - doesn't matter)
salt & pepper

Method

If you want to, peel the potatoes. Otherwise just wash the skins.
Cut the potaoes into rough chunks - quarters or eighths, depending on the size.
Heat the oil and butter in a large pan, until the butter has just melted. Then add the onions and garlic. Stir to coat with the oil and then cover. Cook gently for 5 minutes.
Add the potatoes and the stock. Cover and cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are soft.
Add the cream. Then either:

Mash the potatoes

or, if you prefer a smoother consistency, liquidise the soup

Return the soup to the pan and add the cheese.

Note: use a mild and creamy blue cheese, such as Bleu D'Auvergne, Roquefort or a mild Stilton, rather than a harsher blue cheese such as Danish Blue.

Heat gently until cheese has melted.

Season to taste with salt & pepper.

Time From Cupboard-To-Table

About 30 minutes

Notes & Variations on French Blue Cheese And Potato Soup

If you can't find blue cheese, this works well with any creamy, strong-flavoured cheese.

Keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days. Just make sure you reheat it gently, without allowing it to boil, as this would spoil the flavour.

For a non-vegetarian version, you could add 2 rashers of cubed, unsmoked bacon at the onion stage. It's up to you whether you then leave them in to be liquidised or would rather reserve them for a garnish at the end.

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