Published on July 6th, 2014 | by Gareth
2Leek and potato soup
This week has been personally challenging and also ‘nuts busy’. I had to make daily, prioritised To Do lists just to avoid starring blankly at my computer screen like a stunned mullet.
When there is so much going on, it’s easy to skip making time for myself. Perhaps, that’s because I end up feeling guilty if I do literally nothing (other than watch documentaries). That’s one of the reasons I like to cook and blog, productive but relaxing at the same time.
Amazingly it’s still winter in Sydney, so I knocked up some potato and leek soup plus a sourdough loaf (using a sourdough starter). I took real pleasure from the simplicity of this hearty, wholesome dish (the creating and eating). I’ll share the sourdough recipe in a later post, but here’s my recipe for potato and leek soup.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Equipment: Large heavy based stockpot, blender, chopping board and knife
Ingredients
- 3 leeks – washed, white part roughly chopped) keep the green part to make stock
- 1 ½ brown onions – peeled and diced
- 2 sticks of celery
- 3 potatoes – peeled and diced
- 1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock
- Salt & pepper
- ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg – optional
- 1 Bay leaf
- 2 cloves garlic – peeled and chopped
- ½ tsp. fresh parsley – washed and finely chopped
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- Sour cream or single cream
Method
- Heat the olive oil in the stockpot.
- Over a low heat cook the onions until they begin to caramelise (soft and opaque with a little colour). Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the bay leaf, celery and leeks and cook for 5 minutes, then add the stock and nutmeg then increase to a medium heat, cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer until the potatoes are soft (about 5-10 minutes).
- Season to taste
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and the cream. Serve hot with cheese and bread.
How do you distress after a ‘nuts busy’ week? And do you call it leek and potato soup or potato and leek?
Such soup weather at the moment! Loving the look of that grilled bread too.
Thanks Helen, I need to get the bread recipe on HC soon.