Leek & Potato Soup w/ Rosemary & Parmesan Croutons
Popular with kids and adults alike, LEEK & POTATO SOUP is one soup you’ll definitely want to add to your recipe repertoire.
With the weather getting cooler, I thought I’d post a recipe for a creamy and comforting LEEK & POTATO SOUP to kick start soup recipes’ season.
LEEK & POTATO is a classic and delicious combination, and this recipe asks for not much else, apart from some sweet and fragrant marjoram which helps enhancing the flavours of the vegetable duo, but without overpowering it (in case you don’t have any marjoram, don’t worry, thyme would be a great replacement).
Leek & Potato Soup only requires a few ingredients
To sprinkle over the soup, I’ve also made some scrumptious ROSEMARY & PARMESAN CROUTONS, which are optional, but add a lot of flavour and another dimension to the final dish - the crunchy, cheesy and savoury CROUTONS, combined with the creamy and delicate flavours of the soup, and the melting grated cheese, go exceptionally well together.
Yummy crunchy Rosemary & Parmesan Croutons
These CROUTONS are also lovely added to salads and will last in an airtight container for up to a week, so a great solution for avoiding wasting any bread that is no longer fresh.
LEEK & POTATO SOUP W/ ROSEMARY & PARMESAN CROUTONS
Serves 4
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 leek, ends trimmed, sliced and washed (see Method – Step 1)
570 g potatoes (approx. 3 – 4 medium-sized), peeled and cut in chunks
1 Tbsp fresh marjoram, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
1 bay leaf
1 cup milk
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock (I used 1 x low sodium stock cube dissolved in 3 cups boiling water)
Salt and pepper
For the Rosemary & Parmesan Croutons:
2 cups day-old bread, cut in 1 cm cubes
½ Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or ½ tsp dried)
1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
Pinch of salt (or a couple of grinds of sea salt)
2 Tbsp olive oil
To serve:
Parmesan cheese, grated
Method:
1. To prepare the leek, top and tail and cut the leek in half lengthwise. Slice each half in half-moon shaped slices about ½ cm thick (see picture). Place a colander in the sink and wash the sliced leeks under running cold water to get rid of any grit. Shake well to remove excess water.
2. In a large saucepan, add the olive oil, butter, washed leeks, chopped marjoram and lightly season with salt and pepper. Place saucepan on the heat and cook for about 7 – 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning or colouring too much – in case it dries out add a few drops of water as needed.
3. Once leeks are soft, add the potatoes and the bay leaf. Cook for an extra 5 minutes, stirring again to prevent sticking to the bottom.
4. Add the milk and the chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the saucepan and let soup simmer for about 20 – 25 minutes, or until potato is well cooked and soft. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly before placing in the food processor (for safety reasons and to avoid damaging your equipment).
5. Using a ladle, place soup in the food processor and blend until creamy. If the soup is too thick, add a little water or milk and blend again, until reaching desired consistency. Adjust seasoning.
6. Return soup to the saucepan and gently heat until it’s hot enough to serve.
Serve Leek & Potato Soup with grated Parmesan and croutons
To make Rosemary & Parmesan Croutons:
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. Place all ingredients in a bowl, toss well to combine and arrange ingredients in a single layer on an oven tray.
3. Bake for 7 – 10 minutes, turning croutons halfway to cook and colour evenly. Croutons are done when they are dry, crispy and slightly golden in colour.