Recipe Leek, potato and saffron soup

[Morning Glory]

I made this last night to use up some elderly leeks. Originally I was just going to make a basic leek & potato soup - but then I thought why not jazz it up a bit. Hmm... saffron perhaps... oh, and some basil oil drizzled over the top.

Ingredients:
2 large leeks (chopped into rings)
2 medium/large floury potatoes (peeled and cubed into bite-size pieces).
50g butter
100ml white wine
4 or 5 saffron threads or 1/4 tsp (.2 grams) powdered saffron
500ml vegetable stock or water

Method:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan and sweat the leeks until soft.
• Add the potatoes and saffron and wine.
• Turn up the heat slightly and reduce the wine by half.
• Add the stock or water and simmer until the potatoes are cooked.*
• Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
• For a smooth soup, blitz it with a stick blender or puree in a food processor or you can leave it as it is.
• Drizzle with basil oil.

To make basil oil, blanch a large bunch of basil in boiling water for a few seconds and plunge into cold water. Dry on kitchen paper then liquidise with 500ml of olive oil. Decant into a bottle using a funnel.
* I normally use stock for the basic soup but in this case, I didn't want to interfere with the saffron flavour.

 

[Shadow]

Does the saffron make much noticeable difference to the overall flavour?
I imagine the cost is quadrupled by adding the saffron!!!

Good presentation MG! Looked like an attempt to create a surreal image of a mallard with the basil oil for @Duck59's benefit!!!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

this does look good and I have some saffron that needs using up as well.

 

[Morning Glory]

Does the saffron make much noticeable difference to the overall flavour?
I imagine the cost is quadrupled by adding the saffron!!!

Good presentation MG! Looked like an attempt to create a surreal image of a mallard with the basil oil for @Duck59's benefit!!!

You can really taste the saffron. Yes of course it adds to the cost. But I buy pure powdered saffron on-line: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00AP2MFB0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00 £3.29 per pack + free delivery. There are five sachets in each pack and I used one for the soup. So the cost of saffron used I the recipe was about 65 pence. That's not going to break the bank! But I've realised that the quantity of powdered saffron stated in the recipe was wrong (it should be 1/4 tsp) or .20 grams. I'll correct it.

I can't recommend this product enough. It produces a really intense flavour and one .20g sachet is enough for most recipes. So you can think to yourself 'that's only 65p!'.

Thinking of which, I must do paella... haven't made that in ages.

 

[Morning Glory]

Good presentation MG! Looked like an attempt to create a surreal image of a mallard with the basil oil for @Duck59's benefit!!!

 

[welsh dragon]

That does look delicious.

 

[kgord]

View attachment 1823

I made this last night to use up some elderly leeks. Originally I was just going to make a basic leek & potato soup - but then I thought why not jazz it up a bit. Hmm... saffron perhaps... oh, and some basil oil drizzled over the top.

Ingredients:
2 large leeks (chopped into rings)
2 medium/large floury potatoes (peeled and cubed into bite-size pieces).
50g butter
100ml white wine
4 or 5 saffron threads or 1/4 tsp (.2 grams) powdered saffron
500ml vegetable stock or water

Method:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan and sweat the leeks until soft.
• Add the potatoes and saffron and wine.
• Turn up the heat slightly and reduce the wine by half.
• Add the stock or water and simmer until the potatoes are cooked.*
• Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
• For a smooth soup, blitz it with a stick blender or puree in a food processor or you can leave it as it is.
• Drizzle with basil oil.

To make basil oil, blanch a large bunch of basil in boiling water for a few seconds and plunge into cold water. Dry on kitchen paper then liquidise with 500ml of olive oil. Decant into a bottle using a funnel.
* I normally use stock for the basic soup but in this case, I didn't want to interfere with the saffron flavour.

that looks very good. I bet it is super tasty. I think I would enjoy this. It is one of the many opitons that you are looking forward to. It is just a way to get the nutrients that you are looking for. The bright yellow colors are really kind of exciting. It is just one of the things that you need.