Lovers of Brussel Sprouts, take note

http://www.888dag.com/

It's a wintry kind of thing and the Brussel Sprouts are probably on their way off the shelves for the season, but Brussel Sprout Soup is delish. More delish than you'd think and not just something for BS lovers.

You can see it being made and eaten on YouTube. Voila:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=bmN17oQKwxg

Here's what you need and how to go about it:

600 g brussel sprouts, stalks trimmed

2 onions, chopped

60 g butter

1 potato, cubed

600ml chicken stock (I use a good quality stock cube like Massel brand)

salt, pepper, good shot of lemon juice

Garnish: 100g minced smoked ham or bacon hock - if you can get it

100g gruyere cheese, grated in long strands

brussel sprout leaves

Reserve a few whole leaves as garnish, then coarsely chop sprouts. In a large saucepan, heat butter and saute onion until softened (not coloured). Add sprouts, toss to bring out colour, then add potato and chosen liquid. Salt and pepper, bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes, or until soft and mashable. Puree with a wand or blender, and return to pot. Check seasoning, adding a shot of lemon juice, then add minced ham. Blanch remaining leaves 45 seconds in boiling watter, remove with a slotted spoon.

Add gruyere, which lifts in melted strands like pizza cheese as soup is eaten.

This is my adapted version of Diane Holigue's recipe, which appeared in her last column for The Australian Magazine in June 1997. The page glued in my 'Recipes' book is very spattered. It's been much made and oft eaten.

ps Don't forget about nitrogen for Malawi - ask sydhappyguy about it.