Ultimate Potato and Leek Soup

For those who are regular visitors to my recipe blog, you'll know that I have a soft spot for soup!  To some people, soup is boring - something that comes out of a can and the last vestige of the time pressed. But to me, soup is the Ultimate Bowl Food delivering on all levels: comfort, taste, flavour, nutrition, ease.

A few days before I made this recipe, I had a little rant via Facebook Livestream on the vagaries of food labelling and packaging.  It was a very successful broadcast which garnered a lot of interaction and reach - which was great because it's a topic I feel very strongly about and raising awareness is crucial. 

As it happens, I’ve never been a massive fan of potatoes. Shock horror.  I blame my childhood.  Endless evenings watching mum peeling and boiling spuds – the floury kind that stuck to the roof of your mouth.  The worst kind being the “first earlies” that would be steamed and eaten in their skins with only butter making them palletable. 

As a life long meat eater, it can happen that the Sunday roast can become all to focussed on the meat as the centrepiece to the meal.

Ultimate Potato and Leek Soup

For those who are regular visitors to my recipe blog, you’ll know that I have a soft spot for soup!  To some people, soup is boring – something that comes out of a can and the last vestige of the time pressed. But to me, soup is the Ultimate Bowl Food delivering on all levels: comfort, taste, flavour, nutrition, ease.

I couldn’t tell you the last time I bought soup.  Instead, I bulk make soups and chill down or freeze.  Yes, there is a little bit of prep and cooking, but a lot less than say cooking a roast dinner. It’s a great way to warm you up; use up vegetables or bit of meat and bones and from such humble ingredients comes the most delicious things to eat.

Setting aside modesty for a moment, I believe that my version of Potato and Leek soup is the best one you’ll taste.  I really can’t recommend enough that you make this.  It also makes the perfect base soup for a proper bowl of chowder if thinned out a little and some fresh fish added to it. Not a carrot to be seen, and easy on the cream.  You’re welcome…

The Ultimate Leek and Potato Soup
The Ultimate Leek and Potato Soup

Ingredients (serves 4 as a soup or 6 thinned out more if using for base of a chowder):

  • Knob of butter
  • 1tsp of olive oil
  • 50g smoked bacon lardons (I use Gubbeen here, but Baltimore Pig is also good)
  • 3 small or 1 large leek cleaned, trimmed and sliced into thin rounds
  • 250g potatoes, peeled and cut into apx 3cm cubed pieces
  • 500ml of vegetable stock (if using a cube/gel only use half in 500ml of water)
  • 250ml hot water
  • 25g flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

  • Over a medium heat, slowly heat the oil and butter together.
  • Add the bacon lardon and fry gently until starting to colour but not too dark (this will ruin the final colour of the soup
  • Add the leeks, stir through and cook until softened.
  • Add the chopped potatoes.  Stir and cover with the bacon and leek mix.  Cook for a minute or two, then add the stock.
  • Cover, turn down the heat and cook until the potatoes are softened and cooked through but not falling apart. Add a little more of the hot water if needed.
  • Add everything to a blender, blend until smooth.  If too thick add the remaining hot water a little at a time until the required consistency is gained.
  • Return to the pan and heat through.  At this stage taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.  You can also add more water to thin out further especially if you are turning the soup into the base of your chowder.
  • Spoon into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of cream, some fried crispy lardons, a couple of fried potato slices and a leaf of parsley.  Finish with a final grind of black pepper and serve up immediately with some crusty bread and butter.

And…Enjoy!

Potato, Leek and Smoked Salmon Baked Galette

A few days before I made this recipe, I had a little rant via Facebook Livestream on the vagaries of food labelling and packaging.  It was a very successful broadcast which garnered a lot of interaction and reach – which was great because it’s a topic I feel very strongly about and raising awareness is crucial. 

I had chosen to “pick on” smoked salmon, greek yoghurt and butter.  I had purchased quite a bit of these in order to be able to demonstrate my points.  Ergo, I had a lot left over and because I am anti-food waste, I needed to find a way to make use of it.

A quick sconce through the fridge and cupboards to see what I had to hand, and voila, off I was making this super tasty dish. There’s not too much prep in this – mainly the potatoes and making the white sauce, but really these things are not taxing and can be completed in the time it takes for your oven to come up to heat so it’s efficient with your time too!

The trick is to not get to over zealous with the amount of smoked salmon here.  Stick to the amount suggested below and you will achieve the perfect balance of flavour.

Continue reading “Potato, Leek and Smoked Salmon Baked Galette”

White Pudding Croquettes

As it happens, I’ve never been a massive fan of potatoes. Shock horror.  I blame my childhood.  Endless evenings watching mum peeling and boiling spuds – the floury kind that stuck to the roof of your mouth.  The worst kind being the “first earlies” that would be steamed and eaten in their skins with only butter making them palletable. 

Mashed spuds were never really quite right, bereft as they were of any kind of milk or butter to make them creamy and I detested jacket spuds (I’m still not a fan to this day unless they are finished off on a barbeque…how utterly middle class of me).  Chips were great because they were always freshly hand cut, but they were a once-a-week treat on a Saturday. How I looked forward to that.

Continue reading “White Pudding Croquettes”

Pan Fried Atlantic Cod, Smoked Garlic Celeriac Puree, Thyme Roasted Beetroot and Carrots and Potato and Leek Cakes

As a life long meat eater, it can happen that the Sunday roast can become all to focussed on the meat as the centrepiece to the meal.

Lately I’ve been challenging myself to think differently about the end of week feast and try to focus less on the meat, and look more to vegetables and fish as the showpieces on my dish.

Continue reading “Pan Fried Atlantic Cod, Smoked Garlic Celeriac Puree, Thyme Roasted Beetroot and Carrots and Potato and Leek Cakes”

web design and development by the designer of things