Leek & Potato Soup (My Fav)

I have had a couple of days from hell !

Thomas and Aoife went to play with the pony in the field next door this morning....

Both kittens are now pretty sick and need loads of TLC and touchy feely nursing...

And I'm feeling pretty exhausted physically... so house is a tip and the garden is growing too fast !

So, tomorrow I am going to make my favourite soup... I adore this soup and it always cheers me up. It is also very easy to make.

Leek & Potato Soup

2 large Leeks (washed and sliced)
1 large Potato (diced)
1/2 oz Butter (I often also use extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 pint Chicken Stock (or vegetable stock but make sure its a tasty one with garlic)
1/2 pint Milk (full is best, but skimmed is great too if you want to do the slimming/health thing)
Sea salt
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Fresh Chives (snipped small as the garnish)

1. Fry the sliced leeks in the butter/oil, stirring with a wooden spoon, for about 3 minutes. Just until they are soft, but not brown.

2. Add the diced potato and cook for another minute.

(I often do not peel the potato as a lot of the vitamins are in the skin. If you do this and it isn't organic, make sure that it is very well washed).

3. Add the stock, and then the salt and pepper to taste.

4. Bring it to the boil.

5. Once boiling, cover it partially and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer like this for 20 minutes.

6. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes, then blend the soup in a blender, or in the pan with a hand blender (I use a hand blender, much faster and less washing up).

7. Return the soup to the saucepan and add the milk.

8. Reheat without boiling and then serve sprinkled with the chopped chives to taste.

This soup freezes beautifully. But it freezes best if you freeze it as a soup before you add the milk. You can defrost it and add the milk when you use it.