Recipe: Irish Leek and Potato Soup - Appetizers
Discover > Texas Recipes > Recipe: Irish Leek and Potato Soup - Appetizers
Cold, rainy days are not alien to Ireland. And hence, it’s no surprise that the best potato leek soup recipe to tackle wet winter chills, comes from there. Some people call it potato leek soup while others prefer potato and leek soup. But my personal favorite is the welsh variant – Tattie and Leekie. It sounds like the name of your twin best friends and also, perfectly embodies the warm, familiarly subtle flavor that resonates in every spoonful of the soup.
This hearty, creamy leek and potato soup is easy to make, with a few fresh quality ingredients and a simple salt and black pepper seasoning. With a chunk of Irish soda bread, it’s the perfect meal for any cold day. So, the next time temperatures drop, cuddle up with a bowl of this warm, green leek and potato soup and, ‘winter is coming’ won’t sound so spine-chilling anymore.
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Cleaning the Leeks
Cleaning leeks thoroughly can be a messy affair. Fresh leeks are muddy and if you simply wash them under a running tap, specks of mud still remain in the stalk crevices. Instead, first discard the root and the head (the dark green bit). Then halve leek lengthwise and thoroughly wash under cold running water to ensure that any grit stuck within the stalks is removed. Then slice it into ½ inch rings and soak them in water for 10 minutes. Drain off the water completely and the leeks are ready to be cooked.
The Best Potato for Soup
For this potato and leek soup, I would recommend using Yukon gold potatoes. They have a medium-high starch content and moist flesh, which gives the soup a nice fluffy and creamy texture. They’re also slightly sweet which adds a nice vegetal flavor to the potato leek soup. Russet potatoes are also a good option for this soup.
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How to Make Leek and Potato Soup
To make the potato leek soup, melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven on low-medium heat. Add leek and garlic, and saute them in butter for a few minutes till leeks begin to wilt.
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Add potatoes, Add the potatoes, fresh thyme leaves, marjoram, broth, salt, black pepper and bring the mixture to a boil.
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Pick out marjoram, thyme, and bay leaves. Puree the leek and potato soup with a hand-held blender or a stand blender (if using a stand blender, allow the mix to cool before blending). Put the pot back on a low-medium flame.
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Add heavy cream, mix and allow the puree to simmer for 5 to 6 minutes on low heat.
Top off with crunchy croutons (how long do croutons last?) and serve leek and potato soup hot!
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Warm, Green, Irish Leek and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 cups leeks, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 pounds potatoes (Yukon gold or Russet) peeled, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, less or more to taste
- Pinch dried marjoram
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Sprinkle of Tabasco sauce or other red chile sauce
- White or black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the leeks. Slice the white and light green parts of the leeks crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place the slices in a bowl of cold water and agitate them with your hands to dislodge any remaining dirt. Scoop out the leeks with a sieve or slotted spoon.
- Cook leeks. In a pot, melt butter on medium heat. Add the chopped leeks, and coat with the butter. Cook for 10 minutes, covering the pot and reducing the heat to low. Check until the leeks are softened and not browning.
- Assemble soup. Add the broth, diced potatoes, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, and a teaspoon of salt to the pot. Increase the heat to high to bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.
- Blend the soup. Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Use an immersion blender or standing blender to blend about half of the soup if you want a chunky soup, or all of it if you would like your soup to be more smooth. Do this in batches if using a standing blender.
- Finishing touches. Add the parsley, and cook a few minutes more. Add a few dashes of Tabasco to taste. Add freshly ground pepper and more salt to taste.
- Grab a bowl, serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
281.26Fat
6.15Sat. Fat
3.69Carbs
52.96Fiber
6.6Net carbs
46.34Sugar
6.41Protein
5.84Sodium
1602.35Cholesterol
15.05A Brief History
Leek and Potato Soup is a popular comfort meal in Ireland, and it is often served in pubs and households during the harsh winter months to ward off the chill. It may be prepared using either chicken or vegetable stock, and the total time required, including the preparation period, is approximately thirty minutes.
The potatoes' taste is most prominent, even though the soup gets its green color from the leeks. How reassuring is that, right? On the other hand, you have the smug pleasure of knowing that you're eating something healthy.
There is considerable disagreement over the precise beginnings of the soup traditionally cooked with potatoes and leeks.
In the culinary traditions of France, Ireland, and Wales, there is evidence of soups, including the components above.
Potatoes?
Potatoes began to gain widespread popularity in France in the latter half of the 18th century, largely due to the efforts of Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, an extraordinary champion for potatoes. Because of this, a proliferation of potato-based dishes became popular throughout the nation in the 19th century. Potages made with potatoes quickly became favorites in the family, including straightforward soups made with potato and leek that have been passed down from one generation to the next.
At the very least, as far back as the 14th century, the leek has served as Wales's national symbol. Even William Shakespeare used leeks as a metaphor for the pride of the Welsh people in his play "Henry V."
The treasured vegetable is often combined with potatoes in the many iterations of the dish known as cawl cennin or leek soup. The popularity of such a meal has not diminished throughout the years, even though it provides soothing warmth.
Some of you may have previous experience making potato leek soup with more conventional components, such as chicken stock, vegetable stock, or cream. This traditional meal has been reimagined in the form of a recipe that is both more nutritious and more focused on the use of plant-based ingredients. This vegan soup is low in cholesterol, uses no animal products, is simple to prepare, and freezes very well.
Potato Leek Soup Prepared in a Slow Cooker
What I devised has withstood the test of time and the occasionally discerning tastes of four children. Over the last decade, I cannot even begin to count how many times I have prepared this leek and potato soup.
Leeks already cut and placed in a basin. I slice the leeks so that it is easier to wash the dirt off of them. It is by far the soup that is requested the most from me by my children, and it is also among the simplest soup recipes to prepare. They will assure you that it is the most delicious potato leek soup they have ever had. They also like the pork shoulder I roast in the oven for them.
Sliced leeks in water. It is essential to clean the leek thoroughly to remove all of the sand and debris that has been embedded in its layers.
An Irresistible Leek and Potato Soup Prepared in a Slow Cooker
The fact that my children like this slow-cooked potato leek soup makes me happy for the most apparent reasons. However, I also like it because it is a quick and simple soup to prepare and is also rather nutritious. The preparation of this potato leek soup takes very little time.
Slice up some russet potatoes and leeks. You can also use yukon gold potatoes. Add them to a slow cooker along with some chicken stock (or veggie broth if you want a vegan alternative for potato leek soup), and then walk away.
Potatoes are cut into cubes in the crockpot's potato leek soup. For this potato leek soup, you can use whatever kind of potato you choose! When you make this potato leek soup recipe, you'll find that most of the work is in rinsing the leeks, which I do quickly in a bath of cold water after slicing the leeks. When you make this potato leek soup recipe, you'll find that most of the work is in rinsing the leeks.
Warming Chicken Soup with Vegetables and Chicken
Making slow-cooked Turkey Chili in the Crockpot
Any Cream of Vegetable Soup Butternut Squash (how long does butternut squash last?) Soup Cream of Any Other Vegetable Soup
I begin by using a chicken broth with a reduced sodium content while making potato leek soup in the crockpot. I then season the soup to taste with salt that I've added after the fact.
Ingredients that are easy to find equal quick preparation
This dish is not only flavorful but also soothing, and it calls for just three primary ingredients: leeks, potatoes, and broth. That's right, you heard me correctly. There are just three components.
Similar to how I have a rule for the ingredient lists on food products: they must be straightforward and to the point, with no more than ten components (all of which I can pronounce and recognize).
If it has more than six or seven components, I will pass on it and look for something else. When I use the slow cooker to make potato leek soup, I start by layering the potatoes on the bottom of the pot. Next, I add the leeks, and finally, I cover everything with chicken stock.
When Should I Serve Potato and Leeks in Soup?
This flavorful potato leek soup is best enjoyed during the fall and winter when the weather is cooler. You can guarantee that this dish will make a regular appearance on my meal plan as soon as autumn arrives and the start of the new school year and activities go into full stride.
It's wonderful to have something ready and to wait for you after you've had a particularly hectic day (read: traveling all over town picking up and dropping off kids), so I prepare it for such evenings. Or when I have a whole day of children spending the day at my office.
This potato leek soup recipe will be a star performer in your slow cooker soup category, and all you have to do to prepare it is wash and cut some leeks. What Side Dishes Are Complementary to Potato Leek Soup Prepared in a Crock Pot?
I never fail to get a loaf of crusty French bread from the store. Additionally, Italian bread is a delicious accompaniment to this potato leek soup. In addition, I always prepare a salad and serve a fruit bowl alongside the leek and potato soup.
The Fall Season
The fall season will soon be gone. Also, winter is becoming nearer every day. In Ireland, we had the most incredible summer ever this past season. After such a long and chilly spring, the wait was unquestionably well worth it. I don't believe a single person in the nation did not enjoy the incredible weather we've had over the last several months.
It's been nothing short of spectacular. I don't know about you, but the sunlight, or the lack thereof, definitely affects my attitude. How about you? Therefore, exposure to more sunlight will boost one's mood.
Ireland is enchanted with fresh air, verdant fields, and a wild and rugged landscape all over the nation. On the other hand, it is not precisely a well-known location for the quantity of sunlight it receives. I saw a figure regarding the number of sunlight hours we receive each year, but I need help finding it.
It must have been too discouraging for me to remember it. If you reside in this area, you must thus make the most of the sun during the short hours it shines each day. Nevertheless, each season has a certain allure.
Final Thoughts
The weather is becoming colder and wetter. Darker nights. Crackling flames. Also, the soup! I adore soup—especially vegetable soup since there are many different ways to prepare it. At the very least, once you begin thinking creatively outside the box and become aware of all the opportunities available.
I was looking through a food book that belonged to one of my roommates when I came upon this delicious dish. This soup does not include dairy products or gluten. Most potato and leek soup recipes appear to call for milk or cream, but not this one. Because of this, it is also ideal for anybody unable to consume dairy products.
If you choose a floury potato, you won't need to add cream to the soup since it will already be creamy enough. In conclusion, this potato leek soup has a distinctly Irish flavor. I hope some of the next cool fall evenings will find you appreciating it just as much as I did.
