Potato Leek And Nettles Soup Recipes

NETTLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, leek and potato, and cook for 10 mins until the vegetables start to soften. Add the stock and cook for a further 10-15 mins until the potato is soft.
• Add the nettle leaves, simmer for 1 min to wilt, then blend the soup. Season to taste, then stir in the butter and cream. Serve the soup drizzled with extra oil and scattered with dead nettle flowers, if you have them.

LEEK & POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Trim, peel and roughly slice the carrots and celery. Peel and roughly chop the onions. Peel and finely slice the garlic.
• Cut the ends off the leeks, quarter them lengthways, wash them under running water and cut them into 1cm slices.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan on a high heat, add all the chopped and sliced ingredients and cook with the lid ajar for 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly.
• Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1cm cubes.
• Put the stock cubes into a jug or pan, pour in 1.8 litres of boiling water and stir to dissolve, then pour into the veg pan.
• Add the potatoes. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on, then remove from the heat.
• Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper, then either serve like this or pulse until smooth using a stick blender or liquidizer.

NETTLE, LEEK AND POTATO SOUP WITH GARLIC-BROWN BUTTER CROUTONS

Steps:

• Bring five quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Prepare another large bowl with ice water. Using gloves, strip the leaves from the picked nettles and discard any stalks or seeds (although you want to pick before seed stage: see note in article). Give the leaves a rinse to remove any dirt and then add leaves to the boiling water. Blanch until fully wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the leaves and transfer them immediately into the ice water. Stir them gently (you can use your hands at this stage) until cool, then drain in a colander. Roughly chop the cooled nettles and set them aside.
• Melt the butter in a 6 quart soup pot set over medium heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring often, until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the potatoes, stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Turn the heat up to high and bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are fully cooked through, easily pierced with a paring knife, about 15 minutes. Add the blanched nettles and simmer everything together for another 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and remove and discard the bay leaves. Purée the soup either using an immersion blender or, working in batches, a standing blender (return the soup to the pot). If the soup is too thick, add water to thin it to the desired consistency. Stir in the lemon juice and crème fraîche and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
• Heat a medium (8-inch) skillet over low heat. Add the butter and swirl until melted, then raise the heat to medium and cook , swirling often, until the butter turns light golden brown and smells nutty, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the bread pieces, toss in the garlic butter until coated and keep cooking and tossing until the bread browns and crisps in spots, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve the soup hot, with a swirl of crème fraîche and some garlic croutons on top. Decorate with a few fresh violets, if using.

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions, potatoes and leeks. Cook for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.
• Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Season well and simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
• Whizz with a hand blender or in a blender until smooth. Reheat in a clean pan, stir in the cream or crème fraîche, heat through and serve.

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP RECIPE

Steps:

• Trim the leeks, keeping about 6 cm (2 1/2 inches) of the green part. If your leeks are on the thick side, remove and discard the often fibrous outer layer. Carve a deep slit all along the length of the leeks, driving your knife almost to the other side, but not quite, to expose all the layers. Run each leek in turn under a stream of cold water, green part down, to wash away the sand and grit. Squeeze off the excess water.
• Separate the white from the green parts. Discard the toughest green leaves, and set aside the most tender. Slice the leek whites thinly. Peel and dice the potatoes. Put the sliced leeks and diced potatoes in a saucepan and add 1 liter (4 cups) cold water. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat.
• Season with salt, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Purée the soup using a blender, stick blender (my choice), or food mill. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and return over low heat.
• Cut the reserved leek greens in superfine strips with a sharp chef's knife. When the soup returns to a simmer, add the leek strips, stir, and remove from the heat. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot, with a spoonful of crème fraîche and a few resolute turns of the pepper mill.

IRRESISTIBLE FRENCH POTATO AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Trim and discard the green tops and root ends of the leeks. Halve the leeks lengthwise and swish the stalks thoroughly in cold water to remove dirt and sand. If desired, rinse the stalks under running water as well.
• Drain the leeks, dry with a paper towel, and slice into thin, even strips .
• Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté them until tender but not browned. This should take about 4 minutes.
• Add the potatoes, chicken stock, bouquet garni, salt, and pepper, and bring the soup to a simmer.
• Cook the soup for 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender. To check the potatoes, poke one with a paring knife: If the knife cuts through with little resistance, remove the pan from heat.
• Put aside a few leeks for garnish. Remove and discard the bouquet garni.
• Puree the soup until smooth and silky using a blender , food processor, or immersion blender. Do this in small batches, to avoid splatters and burns.
• Carefully transfer the hot potato and leek soup back to the saucepan and stir in the heavy cream.
• Gently heat the soup-avoid boiling it as high temperatures could curdle the cream.
• Garnish with reserved leeks and serve immediately with a side of crusty bread or a sandwich. Or, if desired, chill the soup in the refrigerator and serve it in the traditional French style.

POTATO, LEEK AND NETTLES SOUP

Steps:

• In soup pot, heat butter over low heat. Add leeks, cover and cook 10 minutes until tender.
• Add potatoes and 3 cups water. Cover pot and simmer 15 minutes, until tender.
• Add nettles & cook 5 minutes until tender & wilted (push under liquid). Blend in food processor until as smooth.
• Return nettles to pot and stir in half & half. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Bring soup back to high heat just short of boiling (do not boil).
• Stir in most of onions or chives.
• Transfer to individual bowls, sprinkle with remaining onions or chives & serve.