A hearty bowl of leek and potato soup is one of the most popular winter meals, and it’s one that’s quick and easy to make from just a few simple natural ingredients. Take a look at today’s recipe and discover how you can make a beautifully creamy leek and potato soup without using either butter or cream; moreover, our soup is served without croutons or bread, so it’s particularly low in calories.
INGREDIENTS
* 200 g leeks * 500 g waxy, creamy-yellow potatoes
* 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 bay leaf
* 1250 ml vegetable stock, ideally freshly made and unsalted
* Salt and freshly ground pepper
* 8 g chives
Waxy, yellow potatoes are the most common type of potato; they contain more moisture and less starch than the drier-textured floury potatoes (used for mashing, roasting and making chips), which makes them ideal for boiling, salads, and making ‘cream of’ and other types of soup. Using waxy potatoes gives this soup a slightly thicker and particularly creamy consistency without having to add butter or cream.
Why not increase the amount of ingredients and pop any leftover soup in the fridge; that way, you’ll have a quick, tasty and nutritious meal to enjoy for lunch or in the evening! Just add an extra tablespoon of water, reheat the soup in a pan for a few minutes, and you’re all ready to go!
Bon appétit!
Fran Bettoni
PREPARATION
1. Wash the leeks and remove the outer leaves. Cut off the root and the dark tops, but do NOT throw them away – use them to make vegetable stock for more delicious soups instead! Cut the leeks in two so that you have one predominantly white piece and one predominantly light green piece.
2. Halve the white pieces lengthwise and thinly slice.
3. Do the same with the light green pieces. Slice as thin as possible, and finely dice.
4. Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut in half, and then cut each half into four or so slices. Dice the slices by cutting in the opposite direction to create cubes of similar size. Dice 80 g of the potatoes into even smaller cubes and set to one side.
5. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan, add the bay leaf and the sliced white leeks and sauté for about 2 minutes. Then, carefully stir in the larger-sized potato cubes.
6. Set aside one glass of vegetable stock and pour the rest into the pan. Simmer for 30-35 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.
7. Put the diced green leeks, the smaller potato cubes and the glass of stock into a second pan, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3-5 minutes until the potatoes are al dente.
8. Pour the remaining olive oil into the first pan and season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf and blend using a hand blender.
9. Carefully add the leeks and potatoes from the second pan to the blended soup – this improves the soup’s consistency and taste; also, having to chew food when eating makes you feel fuller quicker and you are left feeling more satiated.
10. Serve the potato and leek soup piping hot, and garnished with chopped chives. For a little extra flavour, try adding a couple of drops of truffle oil. The aroma of the truffle oil combines
with the intense flavour of the leeks and creaminess of the potatoes to create a very special culinary experience.
Why not increase the amount of ingredients and pop any leftover soup in the fridge; that way, you’ll have a quick, tasty and nutritious meal to enjoy for lunch or in the evening! Just add an extra tablespoon of water, reheat the soup in a pan for a few minutes, and you’re all ready to go!
Bon appétit!
Fran Bettoni
