Soup Week – Potato & Leek

Soup week on Nova 103.5 with Metro Supermarket Eros is officially underway!

The challenge was set – can you make soup for 4 people on a budget of N$100! #nam100dollarchallenge 

The Nova 103.5 team visited Metro Supermarket Eros – bought their ingredients on the N$100 budget and came up with the following recipes!

Day 1 – Potato and Leek soup

Thick, creamy, delicious, and most importantly – QUICK! A great soup to throw together on a busy weeknight as you can have everything done and dusted in under 30 minutes. NOTE: A normal/hand blender or food processor really goes a long way to get this soup nice and smooth quickly! However, a little elbow grease can get you there as well.

Ingredients: 

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 garlic cloves , large, finely minced
• 3 leeks , white and pale green parts chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1 kg potato peeled a diced into cubes
• 2 litres of water with 3 stock cubes added. (Vegetable stock suggested, but chicken can also work well.)
• 3/4 cup cream , (Substitute with milk if needed)
• 1 tsp cooking salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Croutons

• 2 thick slices bread , torn/cut into crouton size pieces (use any old leftover bread)
• 1 tbsp melted butter, or olive oil
• Salt

Garnish

• Chives , finely chopped (optional) I sometimes just use a bit of the green tops on the leeks, finely sliced.
• Extra cream , for garnish

Instructions:

1. Sauté – Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and leek and sauté for 7 minutes until soft and sweet.

2. Simmer 25 minutes – Add potatoes and broth. Turn the heat up and bring to simmer, then place lid on and lower heat so it’s simmering gently. Simmer for 25 minutes or until potato is very soft and almost falling apart.

3. Minimal blitz – Turn the stove off and puree with a stick blender/normal blender/food processor until JUST smooth. Do not over puree.

4. Season – Add salt and pepper, then stir through cream.

5. Serve, drizzled with cream and sprinkled with chives/green leek tops and croutons.

Croutons

1. Add butter to the pan, melt, ad in cut or torn pieces of bread and toast in pan – flipping regularly – finish with salt and leave on paper towel for later.

Serving suggestion: It does not hurt to crisp up some bacon as a final garnish on top of the soup before serving. Lightly buttered bread to go with the soup.

And yes… Chef nr 1 managed to stay within the #nam100dollarchallenge budget!