Recipe: Leek and potato soup

With the true delights of spring just out of reach, we’re sharing a recipe for a warming bowl of leek and potato soup to bring you some extra comfort this February. Whether made with leeks grown in your garden or bought from the supermarket, this seasonal recipe makes the most of the sweetness of leeks at this time of year.

This recipe serves four to six people and can be frozen.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 leeks
• 1 medium white onion
• 450g potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes
• 850ml vegetable stock (homemade or shop-bought)
• 125ml milk
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)

Method

1. Prepare your leeks by chopping off the tough end and removing the outer layer. Slice the green part of the leeks into thin disks, saving the white parts to use in a vegetable stock.
2. Peel and cut your potato into small cubes and finely chop your onion.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Once the butter is foaming, add in your chopped vegetables, season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and allow them to sweat for 10-15 minutes over a low heat.
4. Once the vegetables have begun to soften, pour in 850ml of vegetable stock and 125ml of milk. Allow the stock and milk to come to a simmer, before covering your saucepan with a lid and cooking for around 20 minutes.
5. Once the vegetables are softened and cooked through, use a hand blender to puree the soup until smooth (you will find that the soup thickens nicely as the vegetables are blended into the liquid). 
6. Finish the soup by adding salt and pepper to taste. You may want to swirl in some cream when serving or add a sprinkle of fresh parsley on the top for freshness.
7. Allow any leftovers to cool completely before portioning into Tupperware, ready for tomorrow’s lunch.