Broccoli and blue cheese soup

Serves ~5

1 large head broccoli
2 shallots or 1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
20g butter
Milk
100g blue cheese (I used cashel blue because it's what I had)

Wash the broccoli then cut large large florets off the stem, leaving the latter intact.  With a small knife, cut into the stem's base close to the edge then peel away and discard the fibrous outer layer in strips.  Cut each floret in half and slice the soft core of the stem into ~5mm slices.

In a large saucepan, saute the onion or shallot in the fats until translucent.  Add the broccoli, salt, cover with 3/4 water and 1/4 milk and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, aiming to soften the broccoli pieces but not overcook them - in the same way you don't want to overcook brussels sprouts.  Add the blue cheese cut into cubes, blend with a hand blender and taste for salt before serving.

Chicken with broccoli and oyster sauce

Adapt as you see fit but the broccoli soaks up the sauce really nicely.

Serves 4 at least

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut across the grain into pieces.
1 head broccoli, florets cut off and halved if necessary, tough outer part of stem removed by cutting into the base with a knife then peeling it back, then stem sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced diagonally, thickly
1 bunch asparagus, bases cut off then cut into 1.5 inch lengths
1 small tin bamboo shoots
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp japanese rice vinegar (or any vinegar)
2 tsp soy sauce
3 tbsp oyster sauce
Ground pepper

Place the chicken in a bowl with the cornflour, fish sauce, vinegar and 1 tsp of the soy sauce.  Use your hand to mix around then leave while you blanch the vegetables.

Get a large pan of water boiling.  Add the vegetables in the following order, assuming the heat is high and the water returns to a simmer fairly rapidly.  Carrot slices, two minutes later the broccoli stem and florets, 2 minutes later the asparagus stems then 1 minute later the asparagus tips.  Drain 30 seconds later.  The vegetables should still be firm at this stage.

Get the oils very hot in a large wok and stir fry the chicken until cooked though and no longer raw-looking.  You don't need to colour it.  Add the garlic and stir.  Add the vegetables including the bamboo shoots, the remaining 1tsp of soy sauce and the oyster sauce and stir-fry/cook for 5 or 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but still with some bite. 

Finish with a grinding of pepper, taste and adjust the sauce if needed, and serve with rice.