For all the frantic sowing, March is probably the leanest month in the vegetable garden. The window sills are getting crowded with seedlings, and many a bed in the vegetable garden has been sown under the protection of fleece, but there is precious little to harvest. The winter vegetables have either already been eaten or are quickly loosing their appeal.
Fortunately, there are still leeks. The one vegetable that can be harvested all winter long, even after kale has succumbed to the unusually hard frosts in February. We eat it weekly without getting tired of it. There is leek quiche, there is leek omelette, a leek potato gratin and when we run out of time, there is soup.
And because “running out of time” is something that happens regularly between picking up kids from athletics, judo or oboe practice, helping/forcing them to do homework and a mother who teaches Norwegian several a nights a week, we eat a lot of soup in winter.
This one though, besides being ready in about 30 min, is also green and fragrant thanks to the herbs, and thus goes well with the weather that has recently taken a turn for the better.
Served with a fresh baguette, it makes a lovely light supper.
Leek potato soup
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 – 4 leeks, sliced thinly (I also use a portion of the green parts)
500 g waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tbsp chopped herbs: rosemary, thyme, sage
1 l vegetable stock
100 ml cream
salt and pepper
In a large heavy-bottom pan, melt butter and olive oil. Add sliced onion and sauté until soft, about 5 min. Add garlic, leeks and potatoes and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add herbs and stock and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Puree the soup and add cream. Season with salt and pepper. Add more stock (or milk) if you prefer a thinner soup.
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