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Darina Allen’s Winter Leek and Potato Soup

Darina is famous for using only the freshest, locally grown products in her recipes. No doubt, when she makes this delicious soup, it will be created from leeks grown in the garden at her Ballymaloe Cooking School in Shanagary, Co. Cork and the other ingredients will have been purchased from farms and dairies in the area. No farm or dairy nearby? Not to worry - most modern supermarkets offer top quality products that are almost as good as home-grown!

Ingredients:
3 oz butter (reserve 1 oz for garnish)
1 lb potatoes peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 small onion cut the same size as the potatoes
1 lb white parts of leeks, sliced (reserve a few slices for garnish)
2 pints light chicken or vegetable stock
6 oz whipping cream (reserve 2 oz for garnish)
4 oz whole milk
Finely chopped chives and chopped white leek for garnish
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

ED. NOTE: Measurements are adapted from metric and are approximate. Metric measurements are included at the end of the recipe.

Method:

1. Melt 2-oz butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add the potatoes, onion and leeks and toss them in the butter until they are well coated. Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper and toss again. Put a disc of greaseproof paper (called a cartouche by chefs) on top of the vegetables to keep in the steam), then cover the pan with its lid. Cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.

2. Uncover the pan and discard the paper. Pour in 1 1⁄2 pints of the stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are just cooked - about 5 minutes. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh flavour.

3. Purée in a blender until silky smooth, in batches if necessary, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Return the soup to a clean pan and stir in 4 oz of the cream and all of the milk.

4. To finish the soup, finely shred the reserved white leek and gently cook it in hot butter for a few minutes until it is softened but not coloured. Reheat the soup to a gentle simmer (add some extra stock at this point if the soup is too thick for your liking), then pour into warmed bowls. Drizzle the remaining cream over each serving, top with a little pile of buttered leeks and a scattering of chives and black pepper and serve at once.

Serves 6 to 8

Metric measurements:
50g butter
450g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces (try Golden Wonders or Kerr Pinks)
1 small onion, cut the same size as the potatoes
450g white parts of leeks, sliced (save the green tops for another soup or stock)
850ml-1.2litres light chicken or vegetable stock
142ml carton whipping cream
125ml full-fat milk

Source: Good Foods Magazine 2003
Photo: BBC
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1731/darina-allens-winter-leek-and-potato-soup.jsp

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Wed, Jan 17, 2007

"...the freshest of food and
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