This started with the pack of trimmed leeks staring at me from the crisper. There was a chunky, crisp carrot too, and some super fresh celery. It had to be turned into a soup. In the vegetable section of my supermarket, the broccoli called to me. A tub of cream went into the trolley too. Because, why not.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

2 heads of broccoli, florets of

1 large white onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 celery sticks, diced

3 leeks, sliced

1 carrot, peeled and grated

1 large potato, grated

3 thyme sprigs, picked

A few gratings of nutmeg

1.5 litres vegetable or chicken stock

200 ml cream

½ cup Parmesan, grated

Croutons

Butter

Salt and white pepper to taste

1 slice of day-old white bread

Butter

Extra Parmesan

Method

Prepare all the vegetables and garlic. Cut off the florets from the chunky core of the broccoli, retaining a part of the florets’ stems.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a heavy soup pot and add the chopped onion, garlic and celery and cook on a low heat until the onion and celery have softened. Add the grated carrot and sliced leeks and continue cooking for about five minutes, stirring now and then.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Soup recipes to fend off the winter chill

Add the grated potato and thyme leaves (picked from their stems), grate nutmeg in and add the stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the broccoli florets and small stems. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Stir now and then so that it doesn’t catch at the bottom of the pot.

After about 20 minutes, add the cream and return to a steady, rolling simmer. Once the soup has thickened, add plenty of grated Parmesan and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

To make croutons, cut the bread into tiny squares and cook in melted butter until golden and crisp.

Finish the soup by garnishing with grated Parmesan and croutons. DM

Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram @tony_jackman_cooks.

This dish is photographed in a bowl by Mervyn Gers Ceramics.