leek and potato soup

I hadn't intended on doing another post this week but that changed after visiting my grandparents yesterday afternoon. Despite living on an average suburban block, my Deda John has managed to raise a thriving vegetable garden and 11 friendly free range chickens (one he has named Bianca after his #1 Home & Away crush *hehe*). He has never let me leave without taking some of his goodies and yesterday's visit was no different... Look at what he sent me home with!

With amazingly fresh organic produce like this, who wouldn't want to spend the afternoon in the kitchen? 

And since many of you have recently asked for my leek and potato soup recipe, I thought I'd share it on my blog. It's my favorite of all vegetable soups and super quick to make! Try it for yourself:

3 leeks

1 medium brown onion 

1 tablespoon butter (not margarine)

2 medium potatoes

1 litre chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

Slice the leeks to a 2mm thickness, slicing up to where the leaves start. Place the leeks and sliced onions into a soup pot with the butter. Cook on low-medium heat until the leeks have wilted and softened. The temperature should be low enough that the leek and onion do not get any color at all. Add the peeled and chopped potatoes, remembering to use less starchy varieties otherwise the starch will overpower the leek, making the soup bland. Now for the liquid... I use either of these stock powders (whichever I have on hand) with 1 litre of liquid:

• 2 teaspoons Massel Stock Powder - Chicken Style (an all natural vegetarian stock powder) or
• 2 cubes Swiss Nature Organic Vegetable Cubes 

You can use any powdered or liquid stock as long as you use no more than a litre of liquid, otherwise the soup becomes bland. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook on low heat until the potatoes have cooked. Blend the soup until smooth, season to taste and enjoy it before the warm weather sets in!

Michelle xx