Winter warming recipes

Hearty leek and cheese soup

Prepare and cut 1kg of leeks, discarding any damaged dark green leaves. First cut the dark green parts of the leeks into 1-2cm squares. Rinse well, drain and keep for later.
Then, cut the white/light green parts of the leek lengthways and slice into 1cm strips.
Once your leeks have been prepared, heat 1 tablespoon of oil into a large saucepan, making sure you have a lid that fits. Add the lighter parts of the leeks, season with salt and cook for 10 minutes until softened. Reduce the heat to low, add 400ml of vegetable stock, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
While your leeks are cooking, pre-heat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Cut 4 slices of crusty bread into 2cm cubes, add to a mixing bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of water. Then, add 120g of streaky bacon, cut into small squares, to a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes.
Add the bread and dark green parts of the leek to the bacon and drizzle with a touch more oil, stirring to coat. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring a few times, until everything is crisp.
Going back to your softened leeks, add 2 cloves of crushed garlic and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Mix 2 teaspoons of cornflour with 1 tablespoon of cold water and add to the pan with the rest of the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to thicken.
Once thickened, reduce the heat and stir in 100ml of single cream, 1 tablespoon of wholegrain mustard, 100g of mature grated cheese, 75g of crumble stilton and 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg to season. Simmer for 2 mins, then divide between 4 bowls. Top with the bacon and leek croutons.
Tip: Use leftover leek greens to make a bouquet garni, a seasoning packet for stocks and sauces that is removed before eating. Wrap rosemary, sage, thyme and bay leaves in a large piece of leek green: tie shut with non-plastic thread or twine. Simmer in stocks and soups, then discard once the flavours have been released. Leek greens can also be added to savoury crumbles, stir-fried and hashes, or sautéed and stirred through pasta.
Freezing and defrosting disclaimer: In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date.