Given that were are in that post-Christmas period, I’m sure it won’t take a great leap of imagination to guess how this recipe came about – leftover Stilton that needed using up.

However, trust me, I’m not normally the kind of girl who can’t accurately estimate festive-cheese consumption, thus I confess to having made a different kind of error this Christmas – driving 2 hours to visit my my sister, only to discover I had left her Stilton gift in the fridge – aggh! Thus I found myself with my own planned Stilton stash, in addition to this Christmas present oversight. What to do?

There are plenty of interesting ways that Stilton can be used, crumbled on a jacket potato with crispy bacon, tossed in a salad with some walnuts and pear or along with leeks in a pasta bake. Indeed it can also be frozen and will tolerate a couple of months in the freezer.

However, the obvious solution sprang to mind as I quickly realised that I had never actually made broccoli and Stilton soup before, despite having enjoyed it on numerous occasions, albeit at another cook’s hands.

Naturally I turned immediately to the Oracle that is Nigella Lawson and was greatly inspired by her recipe in her “Nigella Express” book. I thought the use of frozen broccoli was a particular boon – incredibly convenient and preserving as many precious nutrients as possible. Of course you could substitute fresh broccoli if that is what you have available.

So one thought led to another and it wasn’t too great a leap to realise what a simple and delicious recipe this would be using the Instant Pot.

I’ll summarise the method for you now – bung ingredients in pot, switch on, once cooked use a hand blender directly in the pot and it’s soup for lunch, here we come! (If you insist on a slightly more detailed methodology and indeed an idea of the ridiculously simple ingredients, then do read on, you demanding reader you.)

Instant Pot Broccoli and Stilton Soup

CourseMain Dish, Starter

Servings

Instant Pot Broccoli and Stilton Soup

CourseMain Dish, Starter

Servings

Ingredients

1 kg frozen broccoli
200 g Stilton crumbled
800 ml stock (or water plus requisite stock cubes crumbled.

Servings:

Instructions

I boil the kettle for the stock whilst preparing my other ingredients to speed up the process, but using cold water works just the same.
Place all ingredients in the Instant Pot. Set the valve to "sealing".
Set the Instant Pot to "Manual" at high pressure for 3 minutes.
Once done, do quick release by opening the pressure valve.
Blend the soup in the Instant Pot using a hand blender and serve.

Recipe Notes

This recipe can also be cooked on the hob - just pop the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.

Yes, I’m afraid it’s that time of year already. At least, the nights are drawing in and the weather has turned distinctly chilly so no further excuse is required to crack out the festive punch.

Punch? you say. Do you mean mulled wine? Well, you may well be right but I’m reluctant to call this mulled wine, firstly because we’ve always called it punch in our house and secondly because I would say this is slightly sweeter than the average mulled wine so I think punch is a more fitting moniker.

In this version I have used Cointreau and brandy but almost any spirit could be substituted. I use brandy for the decidedly Christmasiness (that’s a word!) of it and Cointreau because I quite like the citrus notes cutting through a bit of the sweetness. However, vodka, rum, whisky, creme de cassis or even amaretto would work. (Although it should be noted, DO NOT make ANYTHING with amaretto in it for me – yeuch!, almond flavour is one of the few ingredients I can’t abide. Real almonds – yes:) Amaretto, Amaretti biscuits, marzipan, Bakewell Tart – NO!).

I digress.

This is a bit of a family heirloom recipe although I must say this latest incarnation is pretty unrecognisable from the original, but I feel it’s at least the same in spirit. (Excuse the pun). There are lots of not dissimilar recipes out there and there is certainly a lot of scope for getting a lot more complicated with the spices (think vanilla pod, star anise, bay leaves, a grind of nutmeg) and the floating citrus frippery (slices of orange, lemon, clementine or even kumquat – the latter being my favourite) so experiment as you wish, but the basic recipe is sound.

But of course the main advantage of this recipe, as everything Instant Pot, is that it’s a bung in and forget affair. And using the slower cooker method is perfect for hosting guests as you really can forget about it and it will remain at perfect quaffable temperature, without losing the precious alcohol, for the whole evening.

So don’t wait for Christmas, everyone is always bloated and sick of festive fayre by then anyway, and enjoy a cheeky tipple today. Cheers!

Instant Pot Festive Punch

CourseDrink
CuisineChristmas

Servings

Instant Pot Festive Punch

CourseDrink
CuisineChristmas

Servings

Ingredients

1 bottle red wine cheapest available is fine
150 g caster sugar granulated is also fine
1/2 tsp mixed spice
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
25 ml cointreau
25 ml brandy

Servings:

Instructions

Put all of the ingredients in the Instant Pot and set to slow cook "less". Put the lid on the Pot and set the time for 1.5hr.
When the time is up you can either serve immediately (in beautiful mulled wine glasses or Christmas mugs) or leave the Instant Pot on the "Keep Warm" setting, ready to serve when you want it.

Recipe Notes

Of course, this can easily be made in the traditional way in a saucepan on the hob. In that case I would omit the spirits to start with, warm the rest of the ingredients until the sugar has dissolved and it's at serving temperature then mix in the spirits at the end.

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