Leek & potato soup

 Ingredients 

50 g butter

450 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm pieces

1 small onion, cut into 1 cm pieces

450 g white parts of leeks, sliced

850 - 1200 ml (1.5-2 pts) light chicken or vegetable stock

142 ml carton whipping cream

125 ml full fat milk

To finish 

the white part of 1 leek

a small knob of butter

finely chopped chives

 

Method

1. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add the potatoes, onion and leeks as prepared above. Toss in the butter until all well covered 
2. Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper and toss again
3. Put a dish of greaseproof paper (aka a cartouche) on top of the vegetables, to keep in the steam. Cover the pan with its lid
4. Cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft but not coloured
5. Uncover the pan and discard the paper. Pour in 850 ml of the stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are just cooked - for about 5 minutes. Do not overcook, or the soup will lose its fresh flavour
6. Puree in a blender, in batches if necessary, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Return the soup to a clean pan and stir in three quarters of the cream as well as the milk 
7. To finish the soup, finely shred the remaining leek and gently cook it in a small knob of butter for a few minutes until it is softened but not coloured
8. Reheat the soup to a gentle simmer, adding some extra stock if the soup is too thick for your liking. 
9. 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. 
   
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