Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Potato and Leek Soup

I've been gone for quite a while and I'm a bit ashamed to have abandoned my blog (once again) for so long... not really a good start for the new year, huh? Seems like the Daring Kitchen challenges are the only 2 consistent updates that i make each month, with only 1 or 2 extras if i'm feeling generous. Sigh, i'm a bad, baaad blogger :( And it's not even because i don't cook enough, but i just suck at updating! For example, i already have 8 posts with pictures and recipes ready since new years but I just can't seem to get myself to write about them. Hmm, maybe it's time to consider a format change on the blog.... yea, I'll think about it. It's gonna be a new year with a new start; hopefully I can reach my quota of 50 recipes by the end of this year (as opposed to 38 last year and 42 in 2008). We'll see how this goes, shall we?

So back to food: I've had my first encounter cooking with leeks last week! I never really knew what they were or how they should be cooked until my friend, Lauren, introduced them to me. Apparently leeks are quite commonly used in the European household and they are often used as substitutions for onions since they have a much milder onion taste. Leeks can be boiled to flavor stocks, baked into pies, or even eaten raw in salads-- all of which i'm going to try some time in the near future. But for now, here is a recipe for a classic potato leek soup that taste as good as they sound in the many websites and cookbooks that I've read from; hope you enjoy it too!

Potato and Leek Soup
from "Cheap as Chips, Better than Toast" by Miranda Shearer
serves 3 - 4
INGREDIENTS:
  • 375 grams leek
  • 30 grams butter
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 375 grams potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 570 ml stock
  • Good splash of milk
  • 2 teaspoons of sugar (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Trim off the tops and roots of the leeks and peel away their tough outer layer. Cut the leeks in half and rinse well under cold water. Then chop into little pieces (the soup will be blended so just roughly chop them up!)
  2. Gently melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan [picture 1].
  3. Add the leeks and onion, stir until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the potatoes after a couple of minutes and saute them [picture 2].
  4. When they are coated in butter, add the stock, milk and sugar (optional). Let the soup simmer for 20 minutes or until cooked [picture 3].
  5. Blend the soup in a food processor or blender after it as cooled a little.
  6. Reheat the soup on the stove and serve (if it is too thick, add more milk).
Potato and Leek Soup

7 comments:

  1. the soup looks delicious!
    my suggestion: if you are confused about the format, you dont have to write in the blog.just simply post the recipe. once in a while you can write (if u want) but lately it seems like a burden for you to write in this blog. or you could talk about what happens when you cook/baked the dish, why u liked it,etc :)

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  2. i noticed these several last posts were only talking about the "dates" of the baking/cooking challenge. you should talk more about the food itself. sometimes i cant even find the part where you talk about the taste/flavor of the dish.
    or you could talk about your daily life,school, etc
    hope that helps =)

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  3. @Anonymous: aww, thanks for your suggestions!! I was really just ranting and didn't expect anything in return. So I really appreciate your feedback!! If i can only know your name so i can thank you properly. Yes, blogging is starting to feel like a burden these days and i'm trying to break through this stage... but now i see a spark of hope, XD!

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  4. your welcome :)
    truth is i really enjoy reading your blog!! the recipes i really do enjoy as well. the pictures are beautifully taken too.
    and no, im not saying these things just to cheer you up!!
    its bcause i followed your blog for quite some time now ( even though i rarely comment) but you seemed more cheerful at the beginning of your posts and it seems like u enjoy writing.but lately i noticed some changes.
    i really do hope you will break out of this stage soon :D and continue to enjoy blogging like you did! i will be REALLY sad if you stopped blogging! to tell the truth, theres only two food blogs i read religiously,daily and yours is definitely of them!

    i really hope you will enjoy blogging again. :D

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  5. Welcome back!

    Leeks are a fixture in my kitchen, I love them! And they're believed to be a cold remedy, like chicken soup! Your soup looks delicious, so comforting!

    If you're looking to try leeks in other dishes, I recommend quiche: it's divine with leeks, smoked salmon and cream cheese!

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  6. u cooked the leak soup!
    it looks so good!!
    im gonna try that too after i finish my vegetable soup haha!
    -laulau

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  7. @Micha: Thank-you so much for your encouragement, Micha. now i'm powered up to start the new year!

    @Valerie: oh wow, that quiche sounds delicious. In fact, i have some cream cheese in my fridge right now, i think i'll try it out soon!

    @Lauren: hahaha, yep i finally tried out the leeks. They're easier to handle than i thought they would be!

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