Almond And Leek Soup Food

CLASSIC POTATO LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large wide pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, leeks and onion and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and not browned, about 12 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high, pour in the wine and continue to cook, uncovered, until almost dry, about 4 minutes.
• Add the potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, 7 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, covered, until the potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
• Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and carefully puree until smooth, taking care not to fill the carafe more than half full per batch, or puree with an immersion blender in the pot. Reheat the soup over medium heat until steaming.
• Whisk in the cream and lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves, a drizzle of oil and a frizzled leeks or shallot if using.

LEEK AND ALMOND SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a soup pot, and sautee garlic until golden, but not burned.
• Add vegetables and continue to toss with the oil and cook for about 5 minutes over medium high heat.
• Add broth (or water and boullion), sea salt and pepper to taste, and almonds.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender.
• Remove from heat, add evaporated milk and puree using an immersion blender, or in batches in the blender.
• Serve hot or cold, garnished with chopped almonds, chopped parsley or croutons.

ALMOND AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 5 cups of clear broth in a saucepan, adding blanched almonds; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• While broth and almonds are cooking, carefully clean the leeks: cut off the stemmy bottoms and the dark green leaves, so you end up with white and light green parts only (dirt can get in between the leaves, so wash them out well); cut leeks in quarters, then into about 1-inch squares.
• Heat butter and oil in heavy wide saucepan or saute pan.
• Add leeks, celery (not the greens yet, though), salt, pepper, and stir over low heat for 3-5 minutes.
• Add one cup of broth and bring to boil; lower heat, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often, about 10 minutes or until leeks are tender.
• After almonds have been simmered in the broth, puree them well in a blender or food processor until smooth; return to the saucepan with cooked leeks to reheat.
• Add the celery greens (they'll stay a nice lighter green color, adding them at this time) and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Just before serving, add 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream to each serving if desired.

LEEK & POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Melt 50g butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add 450g potatoes, cut into 1cm cubes, 1 small onion, cut the same as the potatoes, and 450g white parts of leeks, sliced and toss them in the butter until they are well coated.
• Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper and toss again. Put a disc of greaseproof paper (called a cartouche by chefs) on top of the vegetables to keep in the steam), then cover the pan with its lid.
• Cook over a gentle heat for 10 mins, or until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.
• Uncover the pan and discard the paper. Pour in 850ml of the light chicken or vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are just cooked - about 5 minutes. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh flavour.
• Purée in a blender until silky smooth, in batches if necessary, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Return the soup to a clean pan and stir in three quarters of a 142ml carton of whipping cream and 125ml full-fat milk.
• To finish the soup, finely shred the white part of 1 leek and gently cook it in a small knob of hot butter for a few mins until it is softened but not coloured.
• Reheat the soup to a gentle simmer (add some extra stock at this point if the soup is too thick for your liking), then pour into warmed bowls.
• Drizzle the remaining cream over each serving, top with a little pile of buttered leeks and a scattering of chives and black pepper and serve at once.

CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• Wash leek slices in a bowl of cold water, agitating, then lift out and pat dry.
• Melt butter with water in a 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Add cauliflower and leek and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower begins to soften (do not let brown), about 5 minutes. Add coriander and cook, stirring, 1 minute, then add broth, milk, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While soup is cooking, toast almonds in a dry skillet over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 3 minutes.
• Purée soup in 2 batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) until very smooth. Serve soup topped with almonds.