Potato Parsnip And Leek Soup Food

PARSNIP AND POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and render until crisp. Remove the bacon, finely chop and reserve for later use. Spoon off all but a few tablespoons of the smoky drippings. Melt the butter into the drippings and reduce the heat a bit. Add the potatoes and stir to coat. Add the garlic, parsnips, onions, some black pepper and nutmeg. Add the parsley, then partially cover the pot and cook to soften, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally; the color of the veg should be light golden. Remove the parsley. Puree the vegetables with the stock (in batches if necessary) in a food processor or blender, or add the stock to the soup pot and use an immersion blender. Stir in the reserved bacon bits then season the soup with salt.
• Cool the soup and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over medium-high heat and add in the cream. Serve in shallow bowls with chives to garnish, and buttered rolls to dunk.
• Place the chicken in a pot over a bed of bay leaves, garlic, celery, parsley, carrots and onions. Sprinkle with salt and fill the pot with water to cover the chicken. Sprinkle in a few peppercorns. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 45 minutes, turning occasionally. Turn off the heat and cool the chicken in the broth. Separate the meat from the bones and skin. Reserve the meat and discard the bones and skin. Strain the stock.

CREAMY LEEK AND PARSNIP SOUP

Steps:

• Put olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks and parsnips, and stir to coat. Add the 2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste.
• Let vegetables sizzle and cook, stirring frequently until nearly caramelized, but without browning, until softened, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add bay leaf, turmeric and garlic, and stir to coat. Increase heat to high, add water or broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes more. Taste broth and adjust seasoning.
• With a blender, purée soup to a creamy consistency. (Small batches work best.) Thin with water or broth, if necessary - it should be like a thin milkshake, not thick and porridge-like.
• Reheat the soup before serving. Serve plain, or give each bowl a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil or a dollop of crème fraîche or yogurt, if desired.

TURNIP, LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat and add the onion, leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the turnips, potatoes, water or stock, salt to taste, and the bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender and the soup is fragrant. Remove and discard the bouquet garni.
• Blend the soup in batches in a blender (cover the top with a towel and hold it down to avoid hot splashes), or through a food mill fitted with the fine blade. The soup should be very smooth. Strain if desired. Return to the pot. Stir and taste. Adjust salt, add freshly ground pepper, and heat through. Serve in small bowls or espresso cups, garnished with chopped fresh tarragon and/or chives.

PARSNIP LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Place all of the ingredients, except nutmeg, in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover with lid for 35 minutes.
• 2. Turn off heat and leave covered until cool enough to purée.
• 3. To purée, use an immersion blender. I do not remove the bay leaf, I just keep it in the mix.
• 4. Once puréed, add the nutmeg and stir well. If desired, you can add heavy cream or half and half . If so, adjust salt and pepper.

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.