Creamy Brussels Sprouts Soup with Puffed Stilton and Walnut Beignets

Ingredients (Serves four as a starter)

For the puffed Stilton and walnut beignets
100ml milk
50g unsalted butter
1/4tsp sea salt
80g plain flour
A pinch of cayenne pepper
2 large free-range eggs
60g Stilton, crumbled into small pieces
30g walnuts, roughly chopped
Sunflower oil for deep-frying

For the creamy brussels sprouts soup
1tbs unsalted butter
150g (prepared weight) leeks, trimmed, washed and finely shredded
100g peeled potatoes, finely sliced
600ml white chicken stock
300g (prepared weight) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and finely shredded
100ml double cream
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

First, prepare the beignet batter (see Cook's Note, below). Put the milk, butter and salt into a saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately sift the flour and cayenne pepper into the milk mixture, then beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball of dough. Return to a very low heat and cook gently for five minutes, stirring continuously, then remove from the heat.

Transfer the dough to an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on and add the eggs to the dough, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until the mixture becomes silky, smooth and shiny. Add the Stilton and walnuts and mix well, then cover and refrigerate the batter until the soup is cooked and you are ready to serve.

Make the Brussels sprouts soup. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then add the leeks, potatoes and salt and pepper and sauté over a medium heat for six to eight minutes or until slightly softened and lightly coloured. Add the stock and bring to the boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for eight minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and bring back to the boil, then simmer for a further three to four minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add the cream, then return to the boil and simmer for two minutes. Remove from the heat, purée until smooth, then reheat gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Keep the soup hot until you are ready to serve.

To cook the beignets, heat the sunflower oil to a temperature of 160°C. Once the oil is hot enough, spoon heaped teaspoons of the batter into the hot oil and deep-fry the beignets (in two batches) for about two minutes or until golden brown and crisp all over. Drain on kitchen paper, season with salt and serve immediately.
To serve, ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with the Stilton and walnut beignets alongside.

Cook's Note
The Stilton and walnut beignet batter can be made a day in advance and kept refrigerated until you're ready to use it the following day. Often resting the batter for a day actually improves the flavour and makes the finished beignets lighter and puffier.