Iain Blair

Home made - Leek and potato soup.

Leeks are a versatile favourite, with a season lasting from Nov - April, they are at their best right now.  

This quick and easy soup is great to to come home to after a brisk winter walk, or to pack up and take to work.

You will need

35g Butter // 2 big leeks (400g) slice the white parts into 1cm pieces // 2 big potatoes (400g) cut into 1cm size squares // Small onion - diced // 100g Sour cream // 120ml Milk // 1 Litre Veggie stock // Salt & Pepper // Chives or sping onion for garnish.

To Make

1. Prepare the vegetables by peeling, cleaning and dicing them.

2. Melt the butter in a large heavy base pan, and when foaming add your onions, leek and potatoes and coat in the butter, add Salt and pepper to your taste, stir, and put the lid on your pan.  let the veggies steam in the pan for about 10 minutes, until they have softened.  

3. Next add 1litre of stock to the pan and bring to a boil, stir, cover and then simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes until the potatoes are soft.  

4. Remove the soup pan from the heat and blend until you have a smooth soup, using a stick blender or in a liquidiser.   You may need to do this in batches if.  

5. Return your soup to the pan, add the milk, sour cream and taste.  Adjust the seasoning as needed.  

6. To garnish your dish - sauté some shredded leeks in with a knob of butter in a frying pan, ladle a portion of soup into a bowl, drizzle over some sour cream, sprinkle chopped chives or spring onion and place a table spoon of your sautéed leeks into the centre of the bowl.

Serve with a door stop of crusty bread.