Ali Currey-Voumard (Agrarian Kitchen) and Jill Currey

Broccoli soup and cheesy toast

p98.

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 30 MINS

“I don’t have many food memories from when I was young, but one recipe that Mum used to make a lot was a good broccoli and potato soup with a very bastardised Welsh rarebit,” says Ali Currey-Voumard.

2 tbsp neutral oil, such as

grapeseed or rice-bran oil 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, coarsely chopped

2 celery stalks, coarsely

chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely

chopped

500 gm (about 2) sebago

potatoes, coarsely chopped 700 gm (about 2 small heads) broccoli, thinly sliced

(cores and thick stalks kept separately)

1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock

Sour cream, extra-virgin olive oil and finely chopped chives, to serve

CHEESY TOASTS

100 gm (1 cup) coarsely grated

cheddar or Gruyère

1 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 egg, beaten

4 thick slices soft white or

wholemeal sandwich bread

1 Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add leek, celery and garlic and stir occasionally until translucent (4-5 minutes). Add potato, broccoli cores and thick stalks and stock to just cover, season to taste and simmer until very soft (20-25 minutes). Add broccoli florets and finer stalks, simmer until just cooked (2-3 minutes), then blend with a hand-held blender until smooth. 2 Meanwhile, for cheesy toasts, preheat oven to 220°C.

Combine cheese, sauces and egg in a bowl, and season lightly to taste. Spread onto bread, transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake until golden and bubbling

(10-12 minutes). Cut into fingers. 3 Season soup to taste, divide among bowls, and top with a spoon of sour cream, chives and a drizzle of oil. Serve hot with cheesy toasts.

Wine suggestion Golden bottle-aged Barossa sémillon.