Cold Leek and Potato Soup with Red Pepper Coolis to Cool Things Off

Cold Leek and Potato

The hot days of summer are back and with them a longing for cold soup.  This soup is extremely light because there is no cream in the soup itself.  The buttery richness of the potatoes and the leeks is left to speak for itself and is given a surprising lift by the acidity of a red pepper coulis, prepared with sour cream and grainy mustard.

A soup to delight the eye and the palate!

Cold Leek and Potato Soup with Red Pepper Coolis

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 6 big yukon gold potatoes
  • 6 big leeks
  • 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 large red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons of grainy dijon mustard
  • OR 1teaspoon of english mustard or horseradish - up to you really
1 tablespoon of sour cream
small bunch of pea shoots or other micro herb to garnish

Directions

1 Peel the potatoes, cut them into big chunks and put them in a big pot of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 12 minutes.
2 Clean and chop the leeks into big slices. Add them to the potato pot and cook the whole lot for another 10 minutes.
3 Drain the leeks and potatoes - don't throw it away the water in which they were cooked!
4 Put the potatoes, leeks and stock in a blender (or in a pot and use a hand blender) and blend until it is smooth. If it is too thick, thin with the reserved water. Check the seasoning and add salt (truffle salt is nice but not necessary) and pepper if you need it.
5 Leave to cool and then put in the fridge over night.
6 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the pepper in a baking dish and pop it in the oven for 30 minutes. Turn it over and bake for another 30. Remove it from the oven and let it cool. Remove the stem, seeds, veins and skin and either put the roasted pepper through a sieve or mash it finely or blend it. Add the mustard (or horseradish) and the sour cream and blend well. Put this in the fridge over night too.
7 To serve, ladle some soup into a bowl and add a good couple of tablespoons of coolis. Decorate with micro herbs and serve with some excellent New Haven sourdough bread.

To serve, ladle some soup into a bowl and add a good couple of tablespoons of coolis. Decorate with micro herbs and serve with some excellent New Haven sourdough bread.

And what is a great bowl of soup without bread! Check out my latest book release – The Book of Buns – Over 50 brilliant bakes from around the world

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