Chilled Pear Leek Soup

 Ingredients
75 ml ( 1/3 cup) butter
750 ml (3 cups) sliced leeks
5 pears (reserve one for garnish, peel, core
and coarsely chop the remaining four)
1 1/2 litres (6 cups) vegetable stock
2 ml ( 1/2 tsp) sage or summer savoury
1 ml ( 1/4 tsp) ground white pepper
juice of one lemon
salt to taste
50 ml ( 1/4 cup) crumbled blue cheese

Directions 
Melt butter over medium high heat in a heavy-bottomed soup pot. 
Add leeks and saute until soft and transparent, about 10 minutes. 
Add chopped pears, summer savoury, pepper and stock.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until pears
 are quite soft and tender. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. 

Allow to cool a bit and then puree with a blender, food processor or hand blender 
until quite smooth. You may have to do this in batches. 

Transfer to a large glass bowl or pitcher and allow to chill in the fridge for at least 
several hours. When ready to serve, taste for seasoning - chilled soups often 
require a second seasoning of salt, pepper and lemon juice. Thinly slice remaining 
pear and serve soup garnished with a few pear slices and blue cheese crumbled over 
the top. Serves 8. 

Note: Make this up to a day or two ahead and keep in the fridge until you're ready to serve.