Leek and potato soup recipe by James Martin is 'perfect for cold days' (2024)

FAQs

Why does my leek and potato soup taste bitter? ›

Leeks, like onions, can become bitter if they're cooked for too long or at too high a heat. Make sure to sauté leeks over medium heat until they are soft and translucent, not browned. Another reason could be using the green parts of the leek, which are more fibrous and have a stronger flavor.

To freeze the creamy potato leek soup, we recommend pouring the soup into our 1-cup or 2-cup Souper Cubes trays, pop on the snug-fitting lid, and place in the freezer. To reheat frozen soup, we will often place a cube in a bowl and microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until it's hot.

If you blend or puree the potatoes for too long, the starch inside the potatoes will leak into the broth and create a gelatin-like consistency. It's for this reason, we like to blend the soup in batches (so if we over-blend a little it won't ruin the whole thing!) and only until it's just smooth.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Sweetness can help balance bitterness, so consider adding ingredients like carrots, onions, or a small amount of sugar or honey. Acidic ingredients like tomatoes or a splash of vinegar can also help balance flavors.

Let it evaporate and cook longer.

If you find that your homemade or store-bought broth is thin and bland, you can concentrate its flavors by cooking it a little bit longer." Make sure to remove the lid or tilt it slightly to let the steam escape.

The freezing and thawing process can affect the texture of ingredients that are kept whole in a soup, like noodles or chunks of vegetables. Potatoes are very starchy and can turn mushy when defrosted.

Remember that a large pot of soup might take longer than overnight to defrost in the refrigerator. Never defrost soup by leaving it on the counter. Also, don't reheat a portion more than once—just take out what you will eat and keep the rest of it cold.

Refrigerating soups and stews is mostly a matter of transferring it to some sort of container with a tight-fitting lid and getting it into the fridge within two hours.

Potatoes – use starchy or all rounders, they fall apart when simmered which means less blending for creamy soup = less risk of gluey soup*.

Why has my leek and potato soup gone brown? ›

It looks as though some of your potatoes might have got a bit scorched. Did you fry them off before adding the liquid? The colour from the browned potatoes could be what is turning it brown.

Tell-tale signs that your potato soup has gone bad include a sour smell, a change in the colour or a film of mould on the surface. Also, if your soup has been in the fridge for more than a week, it's best to discard it to ensure food safety.

Cornstarch is a very effective thickener, and a little bit can go a long way. Add cornstarch to a small amount of cold water or other liquid (wine or stock) and whisk into a thick slurry.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

Too Bitter

The Fix: Balance bitter flavors by introducing something salty, sweet, or sour.

While they're perfectly edible, the dark green part of a leek is typically tougher, chewier, and more bitter than the lighter green and white pieces of the vegetable. Eating them (or not) is really a matter of personal preference!

This is a case of solanine in potatoes. Often a newer potato off harvest . The green eyes of the potato can harbour this chemical and when boiling it spreads in solanine flavour or the metallic taste. Cut off the green eyes on the potatoes and reduce the metallic flavour spread .

Got a soup that tastes a little bland and unexciting? Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt.