Name: Leek and parsley soup
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 70 gm butter, diced; 3 leeks, rinsed well, thinly sliced; 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 floury potato (such as sebago, about 250gm), coarsely grated; 2 thyme sprigs; 1 fresh bay leaf; 1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock; 150 ml pouring cream; 1 cup (firmly packed) flat-leaf parsley, plus extra coarsely chopped, to serve; 1 cup (firmly packed) baby spinach leaves; Buttery croûtons; 120 gm butter, diced; 2 thin slices day-old sourdough bread, crusts removed, cut into cubes; Juice of ½ lemon and finely grated rind of 1 lemon

This light soup makes a hero of tender leeks, while a generous amount of parsley brings a burst of grassy freshness. To take it gluten-free, add a swirl of crème fraîche in place of the croûtons.

Ingredients

70 gm butter, diced

3 leeks, rinsed well, thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 floury potato (such as sebago, about 250gm), coarsely grated

2 thyme sprigs

1 fresh bay leaf

1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock

150 ml pouring cream

1 cup (firmly packed) flat-leaf parsley, plus extra coarsely chopped, to serve

1 cup (firmly packed) baby spinach leaves

Buttery croûtons

120 gm butter, diced

2 thin slices day-old sourdough bread, crusts removed, cut into cubes

Juice of ½ lemon and finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Method

Main

1.Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add leek, celery and garlic and stir occasionally until tender but not coloured (4-5 minutes). Stir in potato, thyme and bay leaf, season to taste, then add stock and cream. Bring to a simmer, half-cover with a lid and continue to simmer until well flavoured and potato is tender (5-10 minutes). Discard thyme and bay leaf. Add parsley and spinach and stir until wilted, then purée with a hand-held blender and adjust seasoning to taste.

2.Meanwhile, for buttery croûtons, melt butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add bread and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown (4-5 minutes). Strain butter through a heatproof sieve into a metal bowl and stir in lemon juice. Toss croûtons with lemon rind in a separate bowl.

3.To serve, ladle soup into bowls, scatter with croûtons, drizzle with a little hot butter and scatter with chopped parsley.

Recipe / styling by Lisa Featherby

Styling by Emma Knowles