Rainy Spring Supper

Yesterday started out cool, rainy and a bit….blah. Though, by the end the day, the sun was streaming in the windows, I couldn’t shake that “chilled to the bone” feeling. The remedy? Delia Smith’s Leek, Onion and Potato Soup.

In 15 minutes flat, I managed to get this healthy, hearty soup on the stove and pull on some sweat pants….heaven.

There’s nothing like a cozy, impromptu, Monday night couch picnic to warm you up!

Leek, Onion and Potato Soup
From Delia Smith’s Vegetarian Collection

Ingredients:
4 Large Leeks
1 Medium Onion, chopped small
2 Medium Potatoes, peeled and diced
25 gm of Butter
850mL of Stock (I use organic veggie or chicken stock, both work well!)
275mL of Milk (you can omit this easily, if milk isn’t your thing)
Salt and Pepper to Taste

To Serve:
Snipped fresh green onion


Method:

Begin by trimming the leeks, discarding the tough outer layer.
Now split them in half lengthwise and slice them quite finely, then wash them thoroughly in two or three changes of water.

Drain well. In a large, thick-based saucepan, gently melt the butter, then add the leeks, onions and potatoes, stirring them all round with a wooden spoon so they get a nice coating of butter. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and let the vegetables sweat over a very low heat for about 15 minutes.

After that, add the stock and milk, bring to simmering point, cover and let the soup simmer very gently for a further 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft – if you have the heat too high the milk in it may cause it to boil over.

Now you can put the whole lot into a blender – leave it to cool a little first – and blend to a purée. If you have to blend the soup in batches, make sure you have a bowl to hand to put the first batch into.

Return the soup to the saucepan and reheat gently, tasting to check the seasoning. Add a swirl of cream and/or snipped green onion.

Note: I eliminate the last two steps and blend the soup with a hand blender, off the heat, directly in the pot. I have also, from time to time, added a bunch of broccoli to the pot, amping up the soup’s nutritional value.