Broccoli, Aged Cheddar & Pumpkin Seed Soup

A proper broccoli and cave-aged cheddar soup: smooth, savoury and rich with cheese, finished at the table with toasted pumpkin seeds and a few drops of dark, nutty pumpkin seed oil.

I make it in two stages so it tastes of broccoli, not boiled greens. The peeled stalks cook slowly in butter until soft and nutty, then go into a base of onion, garlic and light vegetable stock. The florets are blanched for barely a minute and blended in at the very end with the grated cheddar and a handful of spinach. I toast the pumpkin seeds myself and pack them separately, so they're still crunchy when they hit the bowl.

In the pack

• 350g broccoli & cave-aged cheddar soup
• 15g toasted pumpkin seeds, in their own sachet
• 5ml cold-pressed pumpkin seed oil, for drizzling
• Optional: two of my cheddar & chive scones, baked and ready to warm through

Defrost overnight in the fridge, heat gently in a pan, scatter the seeds, drizzle the oil. The soup and scones are both vegetarian. The soup has no gluten ingredients; the scones contain wheat.

Serving Suggestion: Add the scones, or a slice of Santa Isabel sourdough.