Leek and Potato Soup

Today I'm going to do a Leek and potato soup, sounds a bit boring hey, but believe me it's a delightful soup and is one of the lowest budget soups you can make.

For those people living in countries that are going through winter at this time of year, I know you will enjoy this tasty soup as it will help you endure the chilly nights and bring a warm feeling of happiness to you and your family.

• 2 large leeks cleaned and chopped.
  
  
• 30 ml butter.
  
  
• 2 Cloves of fresh garlic crushed (1 teaspoon crushed garlic in a tub).
  
  
• 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley.
  
  
•  350g potato peeled and cut into small cubes.
  
  
• 1 sprig fresh thyme (¼ teaspoon dried thyme).


• Half teaspoon salt.
  
  
• 2 Broccoli florets.
  
  
• 1 litre chicken or veggie stock
  
  
• 2 Bay leaves.
  
  
• 4 Slices of deli ham chopped (can use 125g chopped, fried, crispy bacon).
  
  
• Salt and Pepper to taste.
  

Broccoli

Potatoes

• Heat  the butter in large pot and sauté the chopped leeks for 3 minutes, until soft.
  
  
• Add the potato,  garlic and salt and stir well.
  
  
• Cover and cook until tender.
  
  
• Still with me? Great stuff lets continue.
  
  
• Pour in your stock.
  
  
• Add bay leaves.
  
  
• Bring to boil.
  
  
• Add broccoli florets.
  
  
• Place lid back on turn the heat down and let simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until the veggies are tender.
  
  
• Remove broccoli, chop and set aside for later.
  
  
• Take out the bay leaves and the stem of the thyme sprig
  
  
• How's it going so far? Keeping up?.
  
  
• Okay time to puree your soup, using an immersion blender (if you have not got one, no problem, use an egg beater)  purée the soup until nice and smooth taking care not to let it splash on you as it is verrrry hot and would spoil all the fun you and I are having making this soup.
  
  
• Add your chopped ham and broccoli.
  
  
• Add chopped parsley.
  
  
• Put your soup back on the hob and simmer for a few minutes
   
• Add fresh ground pepper (add salt to taste)
  
  
• Turn hob off.

Onion Soup

Butternut Soup

Pumpkin Soup

My Mom always used to tell me " cook with passion my boy and always have fun, if you are not in the mood it will show in your meal.

Plating

Now it's time to call the family together to enjoy the "fruit's" of your cooking and watch their warm smiles as they lap up this warm pleasurable soup .

• There are many ways of plating this soup but I find a nice deep cereal bowl or large soup cup keeps the soup hot longer.
  .
• Add some warm fresh bread (brown or white) to your side plate.
  
  
• Or add a fresh bread roll or buns from your local supermarket or bakery.
  
  
• If you like to spice up things, add a few drops of Tabasco sauce to your serving.

• There are many ways of plating this soup but I find a nice deep cereal bowl or large soup cup keeps the soup hot longer.
  .
• Add some warm fresh bread (brown or white), to your sideplate.
  
  
• Or add a fresh bread roll or buns from your local supermarket or bakery.
  
  
• If you like to spice up things, add a few drops of Tabasco sauce to your serving.
  

Healthy Benefits of Leek and Potato Soup

The simple potato, complimentary to most dishes is extremely good for helping lower high blood pressure.

And garlic, well.... it is good for almost everything.

This article was printed from Home-Cooking-Haven.com.com

Oven Temp's

Cooking Terms and Tips

Al Dente: Usually applied to Pasta, means cooked until just done, but not soft. The pasta should still maintain some "bite:

Barbeque:  To cook foods over coals, known as a Braai in South Africa (The best in the world for this type of cooking).

Baste: To moisten food for added flavor and to prevent drying out while cooking.

Blanch: To cook briefly in boiling water to seal in flavour and color.

Bouquet Garni: A tied bundle of herbs, usually parsley, thyme, and bay leaves that are added to flavor soups, stews, and sauces but removed before serving.

Braise: Two cook first by browning, then gently simmer till done.

Bread: To coat with crumbs or cornmeal before cooking.

Broil: To cook on a rack or spit during or over direct heat, usually in and on top.

Brown: Two cook over high heat, usually on top of the stove, to brown food.

Caramelize: To Heat sugar until it liquefies and becomes a syrup.

Core: To remove the seeds or tough woody centers from fruits and vegetables.

Cream: The butterfat portion of milk.   Also to beat ingredients, usually sugar and a fat, until smooth and fluffy.

Cube: To cut food into small ½ inch cubes.

Cut In: To distribute a solid fat in flour using a cutting motion, with 2 knives used scissors-fashion or a pastry blender, until divided evenly into tiny pieces.  Usually refers to making pastry.

Croutons: These are tiny cubes of toasted or fried bread, used as a garnish.

Coriander:  Also known as Dhania.

Dollop: A spoonful of soft food such as whipped cream or mashed potatoes.

Dot: To scatter butter in bits over food.

Dress: To coat foods such as salad with a sauce.  Also, to clean fish, poultry or game for cooking.

Drippings: Juices and fats rendered by meat or poultry while cooking.

Drizzle: To pour melted butter, oil, syrup, melted chocolate, or other liquid back and forth over food in a fine stream.

Experiment:   Always keep to the basics, but, take out and put in spices etc. to your tastes.

Fines Herbs: A mixture of herbs, normally parsley, chervil, chives and tarragon used to flavor fish, chicken and eggs.

Glace: To coat foods with glossy mixtures such as jellies or sauces.

Julienne: To cut into long thin strips match-sticklike in shape

Macerate: To soak in flavoured liquid; usually refers to fruit

Picked Over:  If you are working with lentils or other beans you might sometimes find a few little rocks that managed to sneak their way in, picked over means to make sure there are none left in what you are going to be using.

Poach: To cook gently over very low heat  is barely simmering liquid just to cover.

Puree: To mash or grind food until completely smooth. Usually in a food processor, blender, sieve, or food mill.

Ragout:  The basic method of preparation involves slow cooking over a low heat.

Reduce: To thicken a liquid and concentrate its flavor by boiling.

Render: To cook fatty meat or poultry - such as bacon or goose - over low heat to obtain drippings.

Sear:  To brown surface of meat quickly over a high heat, to seal in juices.

Simmer: To cook in liquid at just below boiling point, with only a few bubbles breaking the surface.

Skim:  To remove surface foam or fat from a liquid.

Seep:  To soak in a liquid just under the boiling point to extract the essence i.e. Tea.

Truss: To tie whole poultry with skin or skewers so it will hold its shape in cooking.

Whip: To beat eggs or cream with a wire whisk, eggbeater or electric mixer which increases the volume as air is incorporated into the eggs or cream.

Zest: The outer, colored part of the peel of citrus fruits.

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