Leek and Potato soup

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With fall almost making its way in the mountains, there is a slight nip in the air at night. With the temperatures still in their high 80’s and low 90’s you would think summer is still young. The turning colors of the Maple and Aspen trees in my backyard have another story to tell. Their leaves are slowly turning and some of them have started to fall. So officially, for our family the soup season is back.

The Hubz and the Kid love their soups piping hot and I love making them because they are nutritious, easy to make and I can make almost all of them in the slow cooker. And it is a very nice way to get the vegetables that they don’t really like to eat into their system without them knowing it.

Eating is not merely a material pleasure. Eating well gives a spectacular joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill and happy companionship. It is of great importance to the morale.
–   Elsa Schiaparelli

Featured today is a very healthy low calorie soup. More on Health benefits of leeks here and of Potatoes here . I usually make a large batch of this in a slow cooker, so we can enjoy the leftovers for a mid morning snack. I also make it in a pressure cooker when I am in a hurry to cook or I make it the traditional way, in a Dutch oven. You can use any methods you find convenient. It tastes great anyway you make it!

Makes 6 cups

Special equipment: Slow cooker/pressure cooker & a Hand blender/food pro

Before cooking: Wash the leeks thoroughly; chop roughly. Peel the potatoes and dice them into small cubes

Plan:

  • 4              leeks, white part only, chopped
  • 2              medium sized golden potatoes
  • 1 tsp      extra virgin olive oil (cold pressed preferably)
  • 2              cloves of garlic, chopped fine
  • 5 C          low sodium organic vegetable stock
  • ¼ tsp     dried parsley ( or any other herb you like)
  • ½ tsp     freshly ground black pepper
  • Salt         (IF NEEDED)
  • ¼ C         carrots cut into thin strips

Procedure

Pressure cooker method:

  1. Heat up your favorite pressure cooker, add oil and immediately add the leeks, potatoes and garlic.
  2. Stir for a minute or so. Add the stock and bring everything to a boil.
  3. Place lid on the cooker, and cook for 4 minutes on medium heat (timings based on a Futura pressure cooker )
  4. Switch off heat, allow the pressure inside the cooker to come out on its own. The food is still being cooked in the pressure cooker and we do not want to stop the process.
  5. Once the pressure is let out, open the cooker and using a hand blender, puree the soup.
  6. Add the carrots and the herbs and stir .
  7. Reheat, adjust seasonings, and serve hot.

Slow Cooker Method:

  1. Take a saucepan, and heat it up on medium heat. Add oil and immediately add the leeks, potatoes and garlic.
  2. Stir for a minute or so. Add the stock and bring everything to a boil.
  3. Transfer the contents to a slow cooker, set the timer for 7 hours on slow.
  4. When you are ready to serve the soup, Puree it in a food pro or transfer the contents into a stockpot and use a hand blender.
  5. Add the carrots and the herbs and stir.
  6. Reheat, adjust seasonings, and serve hot

The Dutch Oven Method

  1. Take a saucepan or dutchoven, and heat it up on medium heat. Add oil and immediately add the leeks, potatoes and garlic.
  2. Cook for about 8 – 10 minutes. Add the stock and bring everything to a boil on high heat.
  3. Place the lid on the the pot, reduce heat to medium and cook for about 35 – 40 minutes or until all the veggies are soft.
  4. Using a hand blender, puree the soup.
  5. Add the carrots and the herbs and stir .
  6. Reheat, adjust seasonings, and serve hot.

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