Potato leek soup with toasted cheese

Serves: 4 Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

30g butter 20ml olive oil 300g medium leeks, trimmed, washed, thinly sliced 500g potatoes peeled, washed and chopped 755ml vegetable stock 125ml milk 125ml double cream Salt and pepper

For the toastie:

100 g leek washed and thinly sliced 10 g butter 30 ml double cream 15 g blue cheese 2 slices thick sliced white bread 60g cheddar, grated

METHOD

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium heat to melt the butter.

Add the leeks and stir for approximately 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes or until softened slightly.

Add the potatoes and stir to coat well. Increase heat to high, add the stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Remove from heat and stand for 5 minutes. Add milk and cream and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Blend the soup in two batches until smooth and return to the saucepan to heat through. Season well with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and serve on its own or with the leek toastie.

To make the toastie: cook the butter, thick cream, blue cheese and leek in a small pan with a lid on over a low heat until soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a non-stick pan on a low heat, scatter half the cheddar and add one slice of bread. Top with the cooked cheesy leek mixture then top with the second slice of bread.

Once the cheese has melted and bread heated through take the sandwich from the pan, scatter the pan with remaining cheese and This economical soup makes a warming treat replace sandwich with the top now on the bottom of the pan, so that side coats and cooks in the cheese. Tip: keep the heat low so it cooks evenly and the cheese does not burn. Chris Honor is the owner of north London cafe Chris Kitch and co-author with Laura Washburn of Big Flavours from a Small Kitchen, published by Mitchell Beazley www.chriskitch.com