Mum’s leek and potato soup My mum’s Leek and potato soup recipe is unbelievably cheap, and easy to replicate so long as you have some kind of blender.

2 medium-sized leeks

1 large baking potato

1 medium-sized white onion

1 Knorr vegetable stock pot (chicken works too)

Parsley (shaker in the herb and spices section)

Salt and pepper, to taste

-Peel and dice the onion and potato into cubes and place them in a large pan on the hob. Cut off the dark green ends of the leeks and bin them, and then slice them lengthways into a cross a third of the way down the stalk. Peel back the layers so that the leeks roughly resemble palm trees – this makes them easier to wash.

-Run the leeks under lukewarm water and rub the layers gently so that no dirt is left on them. Once cleaned, chop down the stalk until only a centimetre or two of the root remains. Put the sliced leeks into the pot, pour in enough boiled water so that the veg is only just covered, and bring the pan to boil on a medium heat for 15 minutes.

-Bring the heat down and add the stock pot and a dash of chopped parsley from its shaker – leave to boil for a further five minutes, or until the stock has fully dissolved.

-Take the pan off the hob to cool. If you have a hand blender, start blending the soup to the desired thickness whilst the veg is still in the pan. If using a juicer/blender, wait until the mixture has completely cooled before pouring it into the machine. Again, blend to the desired thickness. If the soup mixture is too thick, add a few tablespoons of water and keep blending.

-Add salt and pepper to taste, and store the remaining soup mixture (a further 2-3 bowls) in plastic dishes that can be kept in the fridge/freezer. If freezing, eat within a month. Chicken and ham can be added after blending to create a pie filling.

 

 

Georgia Ryan

(Image: Georgia Ryan)