← Nouns Cooking · British & Irish

Ingredients

• 40 g Butter
• 3 leeks (about 500 g), white and pale green parts, sliced and washed
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 500 g Potato, peeled and diced
• 1.2 l vegetable stock
• 100 ml double or single cream (optional)
• 1 handful Chives, snipped
• Salt
• white or black pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and onion with a pinch of salt, cover and sweat for 10–15 min, stirring now and then, until very soft but not browned.
2. Stir in the garlic for 1 minute, then add the potatoes and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15–20 min until the potatoes fall apart when pressed.
3. Blend until smooth with a stick blender, but stop as soon as it is smooth; over-blending potatoes makes them gluey. Stir in the cream, thin with water if needed and season.
4. Serve with a scattering of chives, more pepper and crusty bread.

Tips

• Leeks hide grit: slice them first, then swish the rings in a bowl of water and lift them out.
• Some stock cubes contain wheat or milk; check the label for gluten-free or vegan diets.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food RecipeTin Eats Jamie Oliver