Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Creamy Cauliflower
This is a delicious easy to make soup. Wonderful served as a starter to a Christmas day lunch.
~Serves 6

50g butter
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 sticks celery, finely sliced
1kg cauliflower florets
2 bay leaves
500ml hot vegetable stock
500ml whole milk
grating of fresh nutmeg
100ml cream

Melt the butter in a large pan and add the onion and celery.Cook gently over a low-medium heat until soft. Add the cauliflower, bay leaves, stock, milk and grating of nutmeg and season. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently, covered, for about 20 minutes until the cauliflower is very tender. Add the cream and whizz with a hand-held blender until smooth. ~ To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and scatter with cheesy croutons and a sprinkling of snipped chives.

  Cheesy Croutons ~ Heat the oven mark 4/180C.
Dice up 150g white bread, and mix with 40g melted butter and 40g finely grated Parmesan cheese, season well, and spread out onto a lined baking tray. bake for 5-10 mins until golden.