Leek, Potato and Pea Soup - 134 cal

Leek, Potato and Pea Soup

45 minutes 
4 Servings
134 calories per serving
Ovo-lacto Vegetarian

Ingredients:

• 2 large leeks (about 500g), well washed
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 30g butter
• 2 vegetable stock pots or cubes
• 1 large potato (about 250g) peeled and chopped
• 100g peas

Garnish:


• 1 medium egg white
• A pinch of saffron threads
• 1 level tbsp plain flour
• Oil, for frying

Directions:

Set aside a 10cm piece of leek for the garnish. Slice the rest of the leek and cook in a large pan with the onion, in the butter, until softened – about 10 minutes. Pour in 1ltr water and add the stock pots/cubes. Bring to the boil, add the potato and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the peas and cook for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the egg white in a small bowl, add the saffron strands and leave to infuse. Slice the reserved leek and put the separated rings in cold water. Whisk the egg white, then whisk in the flour and seasoning to make a smooth batter.

Blend the soup in a food processor until smooth (or keep it lumpy if you prefer). Season and reheat if necessary.

Heat some oil in a small pan, drain and dry the leek rings, then dip them in batter and fry until golden and crunchy. Drain on kitchen paper. Pour the soup into bowl, add crispy leek rings and seasoning.

Notes:

Make sure you wash your leeks well as dirt quite often gets between the layers. You don't want to have a gritty texture to your soup after all. Try not to go overboard with the saffron, a pinch is sufficient, otherwise it will tend to dominate the flavour of the garnish and subsequently the soup. When you purchase your saffron, go for the real variety. The cheap Asian form you can buy more readily these days, identifiable by its brighter red colour, almost a dark orange, is actually from a different plant and is not true saffron. It's worth spending the extra four or five dollars.
When it comes to blending up hot soup, I don't recommend using a blender or a food processor in batches, it just seems like much more effort and a higher potential for more mess. You want to reduce the burden on cooking rather than increase it. This is why I use a stab blender (hand blender) in the pot I cooked it in. It might take an extra 30 sec to blend, but it's so much easier. The only thing you have to watch out for is pulling the stab blender up too high or putting it on too much of an angle. If you do happen to do this, you will very quickly find splatters of hot soup across your splash-back and hob, and possible burns on your unprotected skin.
The reason why the difficulty is mid-range is because of the garnish. It takes a bit more effort and dexterity to turn them and cook them. But they are a definite welcome addition to the soup.
And sorry, the crusty bread pictured above is not included in your calorie count. Although I did pair this soup up with a serve of the Chinese dumplings to make a 197 cal meal.

Source:
goodtoknow Recipes
Ratings:
Difficulty      (Regular task)
Time           (Prep first)
Enjoyment   (Tastier than normal)
Satisfaction  (Contentment)