Saffron Infused Potato & Leek Soup

Serves 4-6 people

Perfect for cold weather as an entree or main, Potato and Leek Soup is simple and tasty. There are many variations to this dish, some like the natural taste of the leek and potato while others like to add extra ingredients for an even better taste. This dish is best eaten once pureed, although some prefer a chunky soup, or chill it in the fridge and eat it cold on a summers day. My recipe includes saffron which can be quite expensive, as an alternative, substitute the cumin and saffron with 1 tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried, 1 tbsp fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried and 2 bay leaves. The colour of the soup comes from the saffron, so don't worry if it doesn't look like the picture below, normally the soup looks quite white.

Saffron Infused Potato and Leek Soup

Ingredients

• 2 leeks sliced, white part only
• 400g potatoes peeled and cubed
• 2 celery sticks sliced
• 2 brown/white onions diced
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 1/2 litres chicken/vegetable stock
• 125ml white wine
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp cream
• 1/2 to 1 tsp saffron
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, dry fried and ground
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• Fresh chives to serve

Method

1. Heat butter and oil in a heavy based saucepan, add onion, cook on low heat until softened and translucent.
2. Add garlic, stir through for about 30 seconds. Then add leeks and cumin, cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until leeks have softened.
3. Add the celery. Stir occasionally until the vegetables have heated through, then add the potatoes and stock. Add extra cold water if needed.
4. Bring soup to the boil, add saffron and simmer for 10 minutes or until the potatoes have softened. (Do not let the potatoes go mushy, your soup will then taste floury) 
5. Taste the vegetables to make sure they have cooked through, especially the leek, as you don't want any firm vegetable to be pureed.
6. Season with salt and remove from heat. Add wine, lemon and cream, stir well to combine. Transfer mixture to food processor or blender and blitz until smooth and creamy. This may have to be done in batches. 
7. Serve immediately or reheat for later use. Sprinkle with fresh chives.

Hints!

• Dry frying whole spices releases the natural aroma and flavour of the spices, giving them a stronger taste compared to already ground spices. Place spices in a fry pan on medium heat, tossing occasionally until you are able to smell the amazing aromas, remove and ground in a mortar and pestle or spice grounder. 
• Making sure the vegetables have heated through before adding the stock assures that the vegetables will soften with cooked. If the celery is added after the stock, they will stay crunchy no matter how long you cook them for. 
• The potato must be added just when you add the stock not after. If potatoes are placed into hot water they will cook through, however, a shell if formed on the outside that stays crunchy, hence always add potatoes to cold water.
• For an even smoother soup, pass mixture through a sieve to remove any excess lumps.