Leek and potato soup (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Leek and potato soup

11:44am Thursday 19th January 2006 in

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BEAT those January blues with a warming, seasonal soup ideal for a simple supper or lunch, writes chef Cathy Murray of kitchen equipment specialists Hanson.

You don't have to be a celebrity chef to make great food.

Leek and potato soup is a comforting, classic dish and is one of the easiest soups to make as well as being packed with healthy, filling ingredients.

Leek and potatoes are traditional soup favourites and this dish combines the fresh flavour of leek with the smooth and tasty texture of potatoes.

When selecting leeks go for ones that are small to medium in size as larger leeks can be slightly tough and woody.

The recipe says to use 450g of leeks but always buy a little bit more than you need to allow for loss from trimming.

Accompany the soup with crusty, fresh bread.

The recipe below serves four.

Leek and potato soup

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil; 1 small onion, chopped; 450g leeks, sliced; 450g potatoes, diced; 500 ml semi-skimmed milk and 500 ml vegetable stock.

Equipment

Scales, sharp knife chopping board, teaspoon, heavy-based pan, strainer and blender.

Method

Weigh leeks, wash and slice re-weigh after slicing to ensure you have the correct amount Chop the small onion, peel and dice potatoes and heat the oil and gently fry the onion, leeks and potatoes for three minutes Measure 500ml of milk and 500ml of vegetable stock, pour into the pan together. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

Blend or liquidise the vegetables and liquid.

Reheat gently, adjust seasoning to your taste and serve.