The soup pot · Serves 4
Leek & potato soup
The leek has been a symbol of Wales for centuries, and there are few better ways to cook it than this. Soft, sweet leeks and floury potatoes simmered in stock and blended until smooth: a simple soup that tastes far richer than its ingredients suggest.
The national vegetable
Leeks are worn on St David’s Day and grown in gardens and allotments all over Wales, and they find their way into many Welsh dishes, from cawl to tarts. In this soup they are the main event. Cooked gently in butter before any liquid goes in, they lose their sharpness and turn sweet and silky.
Choose firm leeks with plenty of white and pale green. The dark green tops are tougher; use a little of them, finely sliced, or save them for stock.
What you’ll need
Tick things off as you go.
Take your time
- Prepare the leeks. Trim the roots and the darkest green tops. Slice the leeks lengthways, rinse under running water, fanning the layers to wash out any grit, then slice thinly.
- Sweat the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the leeks and onion with a pinch of salt, cover and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft but not browned.
- Simmer. Add the potatoes, stock and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender.
- Blend. Remove the bay leaf. Blend with a stick blender until smooth, or leave some texture if you prefer. If using a jug blender, let the soup cool a little first and blend in batches with the lid slightly open.
- Finish and season. Stir in the milk or cream, if using, and reheat gently without boiling. Season to taste and serve with chives and black pepper.
Washing leeks properly
Leeks grow in earth that gets trapped between their layers. The easiest way to clean them is to slice them in half lengthways first and rinse each half under the tap, fanning the layers apart with your fingers. Shake off the water before slicing.
Smooth or chunky
Blending the whole pot gives a velvety soup. For a more rustic bowl, blend only half and stir it back in, or simply mash the potatoes against the side of the pan with a spoon. Do not over-blend in a high-speed blender: potatoes can turn gluey if worked too hard.
Stock and seasoning
A good stock makes a real difference here, as there are few other flavours. Taste before adding salt, as some stocks are salty already. White pepper is traditional in pale soups because it does not speckle them, but black pepper is just as good.
Serving and storing
Serve with crusty bread and a little crumbly Caerphilly or Cheddar on the side. For a more filling lunch, pair it with a slice of Welsh rarebit. The soup keeps in the fridge for 3 days; it thickens as it stands, so loosen with a splash of water or stock when reheating. It freezes well without the milk or cream; add that after reheating. For a heartier bowl with meat, try the lamb and leek cawl.
