Potatoes and Leeks...

This week, temperatures plummeted in my little area of the world which forced much of my time indoors.  All but two of my six runs had to take place on the "dreadmill" (treadmill) which I had planned on based on the forecast which of course this time was bang on. Running inside on a treadmill for me is akin to medieval torture but that is a story for another time in another blog.

I tend to have leeks on hand this time of year if they look particularly good or happen to be on sale.  There is something about leek soup that just screams winter cold, mugs, sweaters and crispy bacon.

Luckily today was a perfect day to put a pot on the stove and start cooking. What I love about this recipe is it's simplicity. My cooking style is very simple, rustic, and full of fresh flavours.Although I appreciate the complexity of high end dining and recipes and I enjoy experiencing and from time to time cooking them, for me and my lifestyle, simple is always better.  This likely had roots in cooking with my father, and Italian immigrant from the south who just cooked good food. Simply that.

I had been searching for  leek soup recipe that did not call for cream or milk as I am lactose intolerant. What I found is a very flexible recipe that you can really make your own and I have and I hope you do to.  What you need to create this recipe is chicken or vegetable broth, leeks, potatoes, butter, bay leaves, marjoram, thyme,prosciutto and hot sauce.    

Leeks being prepped on our Epicurean Kitchen cutting board.

The one thing about leeks is that they are amazing little creations for holding dirt which really isn't that surprising given that this is where they are from.  So, for me, the best way to tackle this is the trim the upper green until it is tender, trim off the root then run your knife down the middle of the leek.  From there separate all the layers and place them in the sink to rinse each layer off.  

Using kitchen sheers to cut up the leeks

I am not a kitchen gadget person at all.  I find they had clutter and really are not that convenient but one tool I am glad was added to my kitchen are sheers. They make short work of many jobs including cutting leeks!! The soup is blended so as long as the pieces are fairly uniform,you are good to go.  Since leeks are actually onions, I am not a fan of spending much time chomping them up and sheers are designed for this job. #tears

Once the leeks are been prepped, they go into the pot where the butter has melted over a medium heat.  While the butter is melting, I chop up the potatoes.  After ten minutes or so I had the potatoes, broth and spices (including a pinch of salt). It is simmered for around 20 minutes.

Top with prosciutto and your favourite hot sauce

Once the potatoes are tender, I blend with an immersion blender.  If you prefer a more rustic texture, you can mash the potatoes or remove half of the soup and blend only half of the soup.  I like to top with pan fried prosciutto and then add dollops of bomb sauce. You can use whichever hot sauce is your favourite or none at all, really it is up to you.  Freshly ground pepper and parsley can also be added.  

I hope you enjoyed my lactose free version of my most favourite recipe.  It is a go to for me and is prepped and ready to become a quick and easy lunch for the beginning of another busy week. Hopefully outdoor runs become a thing again this week.

#bonappetit