Scrummy Leek and Potato Soup

Sometimes on a cold winter day I like to take the dog out for a walk and then come back and eat a nice bowl of warming soup.  Its the ultimate comfort food! This one has to be one of my favourites and its so easy to make! If you ask me its the chicken stock that makes all the difference but if you want it to be suitable for vegetarians just swap the chicken stock cube for a veggie one instead.  For those following Weight Watchers each serving is 4 points.

To make this soup to feed two people you'll need:

• 1 large leek, diced
• 1 medium sized potato, cut into small pieces
• 1 Chicken stock cube
• 1tsp dried parsley
• Salt and Pepper to season

1) Cut the leek and potato into small chunks.  There's no need to peel the skins of the potato they add to the flavour and thicken the soup.  I use any type of potato that i have in the fridge at the time although I've found the best ones seem to be the ones used for mashing like Maris piper.

2) Add the leek to the pan with a little olive oil and fry over a low heat until it softens.  Once softened add in the potatoes and cook for a couple of minutes to release some of the starch.

3) Dissolve the stock cube in 700ml of boiling water.  Add the stock to the pan and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are cooked. 

4) Once cooked, leave it to cool for ten minutes, then add to a blender and blend until smooth.

5) Empty the contents of the blender back into the pan, warm it through and season to taste.

Serve with some crusty bread and some proper butter.  Then treat yourself to a cheeky little slice of raspberry cheesecake for desert!! :-)