Classic leek & potato soup

A comforting classic while the weather is still a little chilly and even one the kids will eat! I haven’t messed about with the recipe too much, just a little garlic, parsley, and lemon to build flavour.

Leeks are full of antioxidants, which are molecules that prevent cellular damage from free radicals that either come from the environment, food, or those that are generated naturally in our bodies. Leeks are particularly high in the antioxidant quercetin, a flavonoid compound understood to be anti-inflammatory and may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.

Leeks are also a great source of fibre and prebiotics - undigestible compounds that feed gut microbes. These microbes produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate, reducing gut inflammation, keeping the intestines healthy, and stimulating good gut bacteria to grow. A happy gut reduces the risk of inflammation within the body and, ultimately, the risk of developing chronic disease.

Potatoes can also improve gut health if they are cooked and then cooled before being added to the soup, so you would need to boil them the day before, cool, and refrigerate overnight. Your gut will think it’s worth the effort I promise! Let me explain…

When potatoes are cooked and left to cool, they form resistant starch, which acts as fibre in the gut and a prebiotic in the colon. Resistant starch ferments in the colon and feeds the friendly bacteria in the microbiome, improving gut health. The same goes for pasta and rice - they are much healthier if you cook, cool, and reheat. When pasta, rice, and potatoes are eaten straightaway, they are just providing starch, which is quickly broken down in your digestive system to make glucose = sugar.

(Brown rather than white rice and pasta contain more fiber, so it take a bit longer to digest and contain more nutrients).

ingredients

·      600g new potatoes, chopped

·      1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

·      20g unsalted butter

·      600g or 3 medium leeks, halved and chopped

·      1 large clove garlic, finely grated

·      1250ml chicken bone broth or veg stock

·      1 handful parsley, chopped

·      Juice ½ lemon

·      ½ tsp sea salt

Method

· Boil the potatoes in a large saucepan for around 10 minutes until cooked through, or the day before, and leave to cool in the fridge overnight if possible.

·      Add the olive oil and butter to a sauté or high-sided frying pan.

·      Add the leeks and fry gently for 10-15 minutes until soft (don’t let them brown), then add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.

·      Drain the potatoes and put back into the large saucepan, along with the leeks, pour over the stock and bring to the boil, simmering for 2-3 minutes.

·      Add the parsley and then blitz with a hand blender; I prefer to leave a rough texture, so I don’t do this for long. Also, the potatoes will get gloopy if you over-blend them as they release too much starch.

·      Add a squeeze of lemon and the salt. Stir and serve with toasted sourdough (I get mine from Leeds Bread Coop – proper sour sourdough!).