Big Welsh Leek and Potato Soup!

This recipe is designed (with the correct proportions of ingredients to suit your circs)to last a couple of days, even for big families! Its a meal in itself and is very simple to make. I never bother with blending the ingredients as my family prefers the "big chunky" option of a nourishing soup. This recipe is also suitable for vegetarians.


Ingredients (for family of 6)

6 Leeks (buy loose from a supermarket as pre-packed usually more expensive or buy from local market) However Asda do 3 in a pre-pack for £1 per pack so buy 2 packs =£2 or Tesco at 62p each = £3.72 (Lot dearer)

2 large Onions @ 25p each roughly = 50p

2.5kg bag White Potatoes  - Tesco £2.25

3 Vegetable Stock Cubes (to be mixed with 2-3 pints water) =  Tesco Everyday Value Pack of 10 = 20p

Either 300mls of Single Cream = £1.05 Tesco OR  300mls of Full Fat Milk. (It does taste richer with the cream, but if beyond your budget full fat milk is just as good.)

Black Pepper (You really need this ingredient as it makes the soup at the end of cooking) = 25gr tub = 60p at Tesco (cheaper at Aldi, Lidl etc.. use the supermarket locally to you)

Optional

Pinches of salt

Crusty Bread or a Value Loaf.

Method

Cut the tops and ends off the Leeks and cut them into medium sized pieces and throw the lot into a large saucepan or stew type pot. Something big! Peel and carefully slice the 2 onions and put these in the saucepan too. Peel the potatoes and cut these into good bite sized chunks and add to the pan as well! Before switching on, make up 2-3 pints of cold water in a jug or even just guestimate! Add 3 Vegetable stock cubes and stir. Then add to the pan until the saucepan is full and covering all the veg liberally. Turn on the hob/stove to a medium -high heat setting and when the soup is bubbling after about 10 minutes, turn the heat down to a lower setting for about another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft (but not mashable).

Then turn the heat down to the bare minimum and carefully stir in slowly either 300mls of single cream or 300mls of full fat milk for about 2 minutes.

The soup is now ready to serve. Spoon out or use a soup ladle if you have one, into individual bowls. Then carefully sprinkle a small amount of black pepper onto the top of each serving. The black pepper really does make the flavour of this dish, although perhaps younger children may like it without as the soup is very creamy. the black pepper gives the soup its tasty bite.

All ready to serve out. I buy either a large crusty tin loaf and the lads use their hands to scoop and mop up the tasty soup or equally you can buy a value loaf and that does the same. It all depends on your budget. There are no hard and fixed rules. Also parents of very young toddlers if they have a blender machine can blend this soup and make up batches to freeze, as babies and toddlers may not like the chunky soup my family does.

For the price I get 2 days out of this soup.. ok I may add another loaf of bread as I have 4 sons plus a husband ravenous after school/work, but this is a very cheap meal and nutritious one for the cold winter months. My lads often take a flask of it to school too in the winter. Very versatile!