RECIPE: POTATO LEEK SOUP

There isn’t anything much better than a bowl of warm, comforting potato soup. It warms you up from the inside out… and it is also fast, easy and filling if you are trying to feed a big crowd. Potato Leek soup is a rustic peasant recipe with origins that have been debated forever; the Irish, Welsh, and the French all claim it as their own. Regardless of its origin, once you make it at home, you’ll put it in your soup rotation all winter long.

POTATO LEEK SOUP RECIPE

Makes about 4 large bowls or 8 small ones.

Time: About 30 minutes or less

INGREDIENTS

3 leeks

5 pounds Russet potatoes

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

4+ cups low-sodium chicken broth (sub veggie for vegan)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Garnish: Croutons, fried leeks, crispy fried onions, or chive

DIRECTIONS:

Clean the leeks by trimming off the root and any discolored leaves, slit in half longwise, and submerge in cold water to rinse the grit from in between the leaves. Dry on paper towels. Slice into thin half circles. Set aside.

Clean, peel, and cut the potatoes into large chunks. Set aside in a bowl of cold water.

Add the olive oil to a large, heavy bottomed pot. Add the leeks and cook over medium high heat, just until soft.

Add 1 cup broth and bring to boil. Cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining broth. Drain the potatoes and add to the pot. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Reduce to a simmer. Add salt and pepper. Cover and let cook until the potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. You don’t want to over cook the potatoes or the soup will be gummy. Just cook until fork tender.

Puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Add the heavy cream.

Check the seasoning; add more salt or pepper as desired.

Garnish with croutons, chives, fried leeks or crunchy fried onions. All are delish with it.

RECIPE: HEARTY HOMEMADE LENTIL SOUP

During the early days of the pandemic, many of us rushed to the store and filled our pantries with tons of dried beans. A lot of folks bought lentils and they are still sitting there. Lentils are one of my favorite things to make in the colder months and I always have them on hand. Here is one of my favorite lentil recipes— a rich and hearty lentil soup that will warm you up from the inside out. The recipe is gluten free and can be vegan if you use vegetable broth and omit the Worcestershire as most brands typically contains anchovies.

Additionally, you can make this recipe with smoked sausage if your crew just has to have some meat, or they turn up their noses. Hope you enjoy it- it is rustic, simple and very satisfying.

HOMEMADE LENTIL SOUP (VEGAN & GLUTEN FREE)

Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces dry lentils, rinsed and picked through to remove any debris

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced small

3 large carrots, diced small

5-6 cups vegetable or chicken broth (Do not use chicken for vegan friendly option)

3 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce* (omit if you are vegan)

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced

2 cups potato, peeled, diced small, and rinsed

1 teaspoon white vinegar

Optional: 1/2-pound smoked sausage, diced. Brown before adding the onions.

A dash of hot sauce or a tiny pinch of cayenne is also optional.

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse and pick through lentils to remove any debris. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion and carrots. Cook over medium heat until softened.

Add 5 cups of broth, bay leaves, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, and thyme. (Omit the Worcestershire for vegan as most contain anchovies.) Bring to a boil. Add lentils. Bring back to a boil, reduce to rapid simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Skim the froth from the top and discard.

Add the potatoes. Add the remaining cup liquid if it is needed. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked. Check seasoning: add salt, etc. as desired.

RECIPE: EASY NO KNEAD HOMEMADE BREAD A LA JACQUES PEPIN

Everyone learned to bake bread during the pandemic—- except me. The main reason I did not is because I will typically make biscuits, cornbread, or yeast rolls if I want to make a bread so I just never got into it. That is, until I saw Jacques Pepin make it on social media… then I just had to try it.

This is Jacques’ No-Knead Bread recipe— with a slight change. I wrote the recipe while he was talking viewers through it in a video… the first time I made it, I followed his ingredients and instructions to the letter. The second time- and since then, I dissolved a teaspoon of honey in the water before adding it to the flour. I think it adds a nice, subtle flavor and gives the yeast a friend to play with.

I am absolutely addicted to this bread and the people I have gifted with it call it “that bread” as in - “when can we get some more of that bread?” I think you will like it and it is super easy. I might allow the dough to rise overnight in the fridge as Jacques often does but more often, I’ll bake it during the day so I’ll have leftovers to toast for breakfast.

Note- it has a beautifully crunchy top. If you wrap it (even hours later) with plastic wrap, the top will lose its crunch.

JACQUES PEPIN NO-KNEAD BREAD

INGREDIENTS

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon instant yeast

1 3/4 cup warm water

1 teaspoon honey

DIRECTIONS:

In a glass bowl add flour, salt, and yeast. Whisk together to combine.

Add honey to warm water and stir to dissolve. Add to the flour mixture, combining with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to proof for 2 hours in a warm spot in your kitchen.

After 2 hours, the dough will have doubled and have some bubbles on the top. Use a spoon to punch down the dough.  

Oil bottom, top, and sides of a 4-quart oven proof pan with a lid. (or you can line it with a piece of parchment paper- which is what I did)

Add the dough to the pan. Cover and allow to proof for 3 more hours at room temperature (or overnight in the refrigerator).

Preheat oven to 425 F˚ degrees.

Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake for 30 minutes with the lid off.

Notes: Chef let his rest in the pan for 30 minutes before cutting. I did not as I wanted a hot slice right out of the oven. Also, this dough does not rise a lot and perhaps is not as beautiful as those domed sourdough loaves we all have seen on social media- it’s more like a peasant bread but it is so very good.