Yes, DUSTBIN soup! Which is delicious, unlike its name - so please don't be put off, and read on, read on!
I did debate whether to call it by this name, which is what we call it at home, but not to do so, just wouldn't feel right! It's alternative name could have been "Green and Blue Soup", an allusion to the fact that it is predominately made from green vegetables, and the flavour lifted by a touch of blue cheese. But to calm your beating heart, I've included the suggestion for broccoli and blue cheese soup, just in case you want to serve it to anyone else and have a name for it...
Anyway, I digress. Basically, this is something which happens on a
regular basis, especially during the colder months, as a way to make the
most out of vegetables which need eating, and also (especially?) to use
up tasty parts of vegetables which might otherwise be consigned to the
dustbin (hence the name!) - such as broccoli stalks, and asparagus ends.
Broccoli stalks are often thrown away, and yet they're actually really delicious once peeled - either raw and julienned in salads, or cooked in soups, or again julienned (yes, you can't beat a bit of mandolin action!), steamed and tossed in butter with a grinding of fresh black pepper. Asparagus ends are another victim to the bin or compost heap, and yet they too make delicious soup - if they're particularly woody it pays dividends to finish by passing the soup through a sieve for a deliciously smooth and creamy result. Just using broccoli and asparagus stalks alone, and making up to 500g with some cauliflower makes for a delicious, and delicately flavoured soup.
The quantities suggested will give you around 1,400ml of soup, which gives you 7 servings at 200ml per serving (a couple of ladlefuls). If you want a calorie count, just measure what you've got, and divide it into portions to suit you - for the soup below, it's 91 calories per 200ml serving (or 95 calories if you make with 500g broccoli, for a delicious broccoli and stilton soup).
