Starter of leek and potato soup.

I’m going to kick things off with this simple starter (or main) of a winter warming classic leek and potato soup, this recipe contains restaurant tricks with simple home cooking to get the best out of this classic home cooked dish.

With this being my first post, please let me know if I’m too vague, although I would like to add that I’m not big on weights and measures. Cooking is definitely about the senses and I try to use those to perfect my dishes.

This soup will feed four as a starter with some crusty bread

Ingredients:
3 leeks, washed and only white flesh, discard the green, fine chopped
4 medium potatoes, peeled diced
1 large garlic clove, peeled finely chopped
Dessert spoon of creme fraiche
Chicken or vegetable stock preferably home made but stock cube will do, just enough to cover the veg in the pan
Salt and ground black pepper to season
Olive oil
35g of good quality butter

Heat a nob of butter in a large non stick sauce pan (enough to coat the leeks) over a medium heat and add the leeks and garlic, stir until coated and cover.

Allow the leeks to soften, not colour. When the leeks have become translucent and reduced by half add the potatoes and season generously. Finally cover all vegetables with the stock. Simmer under a lid for 20-25 mins stirring occasionally, until potatoes are very soft.

Remove the lid and allow to cool

Pour the mixture into a blender and blitz (in batches if you need to) until totally smooth. While the blender is off, add a generous knob of fridge cold butter and blitz a final time – a little chefs trick to get the soup super shiny and velvety smooth.

Pour the soup into a fresh pan and re heat gently.

Once hot add the creme fraiche and stir until dissolved.

This is the point where your going to want to perfect the seasoning.

Ladle into warm bowls and don’t be shy with the bread! Luckily I live in France and my local Boulangerie is pretty amazing so great bread is always on hand

There are a good few ways to finish this soup, today a simple drizzle of olive oil was perfect for me but other alternatives could be:

Finely chopped crispy bacon and sage infused cream

A simple light grating of Parmesan

A handful of chopped leaks pan fried until crispy in butter a scattered over the top

I also love a light drizzle of truffle oil!