Leek & Potato Soup

Ingredients

  • 50g butter
  • 450g potatoes, peeled & cut into 1cm pieces
  • 1 small onion, cut to same size as potatoes
  • 450g white part of leeks, sliced
  • 1.5-2 pints chicken or vegetable stock
  • 142 carton whipping cream
  • 125ml full fat milk
  • white part of 1 leek & small knob of butter to finish
  • sprinkle of finely chopped chives to garnish
Print this recipe

Recipe Name

Leek & Potato Soup

Method

  • Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. When it bubbles, add the potatoes, onion and leeks and toss them in the butter until they are well coated.
  • Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper and toss again.
  • Put a disc of greaseproof paper (called a cartouche by chefs) on top of the vegetables to keep in the steam), then cover the pan with its lid. Cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.
  • Uncover the pan and discard the paper.
  • Pour in 850ml/1.5 pints of the stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are just cooked – about 5 minutes. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh flavour.
  • Purée in a blender until silky smooth, in batches if necessary, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
  • Return the soup to a clean pan and stir in three quarters of the cream and all of the milk.
  • To finish the soup, finely shred the white leek and gently cook it in the hot butter for a few minutes until it is softened but not coloured.
  • Reheat the soup to a gentle simmer (add some extra stock at this point if the soup is too thick for your liking), then pour into warmed bowls.
  • Drizzle the remaining cream over each serving, top with a little pile of buttered leeks and a scattering of chives and black pepper and serve at once.