Leek & Potato Soup

Above: Chive flower heads add a decorative, and elegant, note to any garden


...........................................................................
Tip
To serve this dish, place eating bowl on the table and pour directly from the copper pan, with a spoon underneath to catch the soup... serve with rustic bread

Leek & Potato Soup with Chives

Lee Streeton's mother would make this soup when things were a little tough, Lee says "As its a wholesome food, served with bread, she would always make plenty of it – it would always seem better on the 3rd day after the flavours had had a chance to develop."


SERVES 4

Ingredients

100g Charlotte potatoes, peeled and halved
1 leek, roughly chopped (white and green separated)
80g butter
1 bay leaf
1.5 litre of vegetable stock
Freshly picked and chopped chives
Seasoning (salt & pepper)

...................................................................................................................................................................................

Method

1. Heat a pan to a medium heat, add the butter and the potatoes and slowly cook with no colour for about 10 minutes
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper
3. When the potatoes are half cooked, add the white of the leeks and the bayleaf, cook slowly over a low heat
4. When tender, add the green of the leek and add the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for another 10 minutes, until the leeks and potatoes are cooked
5. Check the seasoning. Add the chopped chives and serve immediately