Ingredients
For the blue cheese scones
300g/10½oz self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
50g/1¾oz blue cheese
1 free-range egg
50ml/2fl oz milk
For the pea soup
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 banana shallot, chopped
200g/7oz peas
300ml/10½fl oz hot chicken stock
50g/1¾oz blue cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. To make the blue cheese scones, place the flour, baking powder and butter into a food processor and blend.
3. Add the cheese, egg and milk and blend again, until the mixture is just coming together.
4. Bring the dough together with floured hands and roll onto a floured surface to 1cm/½in thickness.
5. Using a 5cm/2in chefs' ring, cut five rounds out of the pastry, then brush them with milk.
6. Place the rounds onto a baking sheet and place into the oven to bake for 15 minutes, or until risen and golden.
7. To make the pea soup, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot and fry for two minutes to soften.
8. Add the peas and cook for five minutes.
9. Add the stock and blue cheese, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 10 minutes.
10. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then blend with a hand blender until smooth.
11. To serve, pour into a large cappuccino cup or small bowl and place onto a large plate with the scones piled alongside.
