Winter Warmer: Hearty Leek and Potato Soup

For me, once the weather gets cold – and boy has it gotten cold recently -- nothing brings warmth and comfort like a nice bowl of hearty soup. One of my all time favorite winter soups has to be leek and potato. It's thick and creamy and hits just the right spot on a cold winter’s day.

Ingredients

• 50g butter
• ½ white onion, diced
• 4 leeks, sliced
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 750ml vegetable or chicken stock
• 250ml milk

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion and leeks, cook for five minutes until they become soft.
2. Add the potatoes, Dijon mustard (if using) and salt and pepper and stir until everything is well coated, then cover and let the vegetables sweat for around 10 minutes on a very low heat.
3. Remove the lid and add the vegetable or chicken stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook on a low heat for a further 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
4. Remove the lid and stir in the milk, bring back to a simmer and remove from the heat.
5. Put it into a blender, or use a hand blender to blend until smooth.
6. Return to the saucepan/turn back on the heat and gently reheat, if the soup is too thick for your liking you can add more stock or milk. Taste to check the seasoning and add more salt or pepper if needed. 
7. Serve piping hot.

READ: Lamb and Scallions: A Hearty Beijing Winter Dish

Images: Canva