Sweet Leek and Potato Soup

This delicious recipe serves 4 hungry people

This original recipe is another one of my Mum’s knockout recipes. Her recipes are highly revered in both family and insta-circles, the shortbread apple crumble is one of my most viewed posts ever and often appears in many a Sunday insta-story.  If you’ve also delighted in steak in red wine and the decadent cheddar scones, you will know that flavour is my Mum’s only aim, her food is for the soul-searchers, the comfort-seekers and those in-need of ultimate flavour

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With the season on the turn, there is no better time than to share this recipe  sweet leek and potato soup. So dig up that winter-veg, dig out your stock pot and let’s get souping.

Sweet Leek and Potato Soup Ingredients

1 kilo leeks

2 medium King Edward potatoes (or Vivaldi)

2 medium onions

75 g unsalted butter

A little oil

300 ml semi-skimmed

500 ml good quality chicken stock

Black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves ( or 1 teaspoon of dried)

1 organic stock cube

Liquid chicken concentrate

Preparation

Trim off the ends and most of the tough green part of the leeks and discard the outer layer. Halve the leeks lengthways and finely slice. Then rinse well to remove all dirt and grit. Peel and finely chop onions.

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Pull leaves from thyme.
Peel and chop potatoes into small chunks.

In a large heavy pan, melt the butter with a small amount of oil and add onions to the pan. On a medium-low heat, allow them to gently soften and become translucent.

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Then, add the leeks, potatoes, thyme and plenty of black pepper (do not add salt) and stir together, until all the ingredients are slicked with the butter.
Reduce the heat and pop the lid onto the pan.

Remember to remove the lid to stir every few minutes to avoid any sticking.

Continue for 10-15 minutes until everything is soft and has become a melting tangle. At this point, add the stock and milk, increase the heat to medium and bring to a gentle simmer.

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Do not allow the liquid to boil. Once a simmer has been achieved, adjust the heat to low again, and partially cover the pan with a lid.

Check and stir every 5 minutes or so and after 20 mins, check the taste. The soup should have an intensely savoury chicken flavour, if that hasn’t been achieved, add a good quality chicken stock cube, allow it to cook for another 5 mins and recheck taste.

A small slug of chicken concentrate can be used if further flavour is needed. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool just for a few minutes, and blend using your preferred method.

Take time to blend into a really smooth velvet soup and then return the liquid to the pan on a low heat, and whilst continually stirring, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of double cream. If the soup is too thick at this point, you can thin it down with a little extra stock.

This soup can be made a day or two ahead, kept in the fridge and gently reheated to a simmer. Alternatively, ensure the soup is cool and freeze in a sealed container or bag and eat within a month. Defrost overnight in a fridge and either reheat in a pan or in the microwave.

Whichever method you use to store and reheat your sweet leek and potato soup, ensure that the soup simmers and does not boil. Serve with a sprinkle of chopped parsley or chives and enjoy.

Love,