Food & Wine
Potato and leek soup
This hearty soup is a traditional Welsh classic. It’s just perfect for those cooler nights in autumn and winter. Make a big batch and enjoy it for days with warm, crusty bread.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 leeks, washed thoroughly, roughly chopped (white and light green parts)
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 kg potatoes (anything with red skin, or White potatoes or Yukon gold), peeled and chopped into 1cm chunks
- 6 ½ cups stock (chicken or vegetable)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup thickened cream
- Crispy bacon pieces/croutons/crispy onions (optional garnish)
Method:
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the garlic and leeks and stir regularly. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the leeks are soft and wilted (you don’t want to brown them, so keep an eye on the heat).
- Add the potatoes, stock, thyme, bay leaves and salt and pepper to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Put the lid on and turn the heat down to low, and allow to simmer until the potatoes are very soft (about 15 minutes).
- Scoop out the thyme and bay leaves, and use a hand-held (stick) blender to purée the soup until it is smooth. You could also use a regular blender or food processer to purée the soup in small batches.
- Add the cream and bring the soup back to a simmer. Now is when you want to adjust your salt and pepper to your taste. If the soup is too thin, simmer until it thickens. Add more stock or water if it is too thick at this stage.
- Serve hot with crusty bread, garnish with fresh herbs, crispy bacon pieces, croutons or crispy onions.
Related links:
Creamy chicken, bacon and lentil soup with ciabatta