Chilled potato soup with spinach ‘pesto’
If a mixture of food textures is not a problem, serve with shredded smoked trout – a great flavour combination. On a lazy day, just omit the spinach ‘pesto’ from the recipe.
Ingredients
- 300 g leeks, prepared and sliced
- 100 g white onion, chopped
- 300 g spinach, washed
- 400 g potatoes, peeled and chopped (floury variety best)
- salt, white pepper
- generous knob of butter
- pinch of sugar
- 100 ml white wine
- 500 ml milk
- 250 ml whipping cream,
- 300 ml vegetable stock
- 1 unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest
Method
- In a dry saucepan heat spinach until wilted, remove from heat and drain well, set aside.
- In another saucepan, melt the butter, add leek, onion and potato pieces. Sweat, while stirring, for a few minutes. Add seasoning and a pinch of sugar. Add wine and cook uncovered until liquid is strongly reduced. Reduce heat, add milk, stock and cream and simmer for 30 minutes until potatoes are very soft. Remove from the heat and blend to a smooth consistency, pass through a fine-meshed sieve. Set aside to cool.
- Transfer about a quarter of the soup to another bowl, add spinach and lemon zest, blend mixture to a smooth consistency.
- Chill soup and spinach ‘pesto’. Serve chilled and add a dollop of ‘pesto’ to each serving of potato soup.