Potato Leek Soup With Crab Recipes

POTATO LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary so as not to brown.
• Add the potatoes, broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper to pot and bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft.
• Fish out the thyme sprig and bay leaves, then purée the soup with a hand-held immersion blender until smooth. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée the soup in batches; see note.) Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If soup is too thin, simmer until thickened. If it's too thick, add water or stock to thin it out. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
• Note: If using a standard blender to purée the soup: be sure not to fill the jar more than halfway; leave the hole in the lid open and cover loosely with a dishtowel to allow the heat to escape; and pour blended soup into a clean pot.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen, without the cream, for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. Once heated through, add the cream and bring to a simmer before serving.

CRAB AND LEEK CHOWDER

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over high heat. Cook until the butter just begins to brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the jalapeño and sauté for 1 minute. Add the garlic and leek and sauté for 1 minute, stirring. Increase the heat to high, add the stock, potatoes, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
• Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, puree the mixture in a food processor or blender. Stir in the hot sauce to taste. Return the pot to low heat and simmer the soup for 15 minutes.
• Put the drained crabmeat in a small bowl and pick through it with your hands, removing any pieces of shell.
• To serve, divide the chowder among 4 bowls. Garnish each bowl with crabmeat, corn, red bell pepper, and shallot rings. Top with a pinch of parsley.
• Crispy Shallots
• Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Dredge the shallots in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour.
• In a medium skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the shallot rings and cook without stirring until they turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn them over and cook until they are golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. As the shallots finish cooking, remove them to a plate lined with a paper towel.

LEEK & POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Melt 50g butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add 450g potatoes, cut into 1cm cubes, 1 small onion, cut the same as the potatoes, and 450g white parts of leeks, sliced and toss them in the butter until they are well coated.
• Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper and toss again. Put a disc of greaseproof paper (called a cartouche by chefs) on top of the vegetables to keep in the steam), then cover the pan with its lid.
• Cook over a gentle heat for 10 mins, or until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.
• Uncover the pan and discard the paper. Pour in 850ml of the light chicken or vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are just cooked - about 5 minutes. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh flavour.
• Purée in a blender until silky smooth, in batches if necessary, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Return the soup to a clean pan and stir in three quarters of a 142ml carton of whipping cream and 125ml full-fat milk.
• To finish the soup, finely shred the white part of 1 leek and gently cook it in a small knob of hot butter for a few mins until it is softened but not coloured.
• Reheat the soup to a gentle simmer (add some extra stock at this point if the soup is too thick for your liking), then pour into warmed bowls.
• Drizzle the remaining cream over each serving, top with a little pile of buttered leeks and a scattering of chives and black pepper and serve at once.