It is Sunday and I have been rolling pastry to make my mom's famous meat pies. Problem..duh..MEAT pies? Well, the plan is: meat pies for my sister and son-in-law; spinach for my husband and an exercise in daring - lentil filling for my daughter and I. Will let you know the outcome, if I live to tell the tale.
The soup today is one that literally takes 20 minutes start to finish, so it is great when you have a sudden influx of guests half an hour before lunch, or the salad you planned at 12.30 seems very unappealing by 12.35. I stirred up what I call lazy bread with it and another rainy day meal was sorted.
For the soup, you can play around with quantities quite happily, but I would not use less than 3 sizeable leeks. The trick to removing sand from leeks is to top and tail, slit all the way down the middle lengthwise, then rinse the layers under running water, drain and chop.
For the bread, use Eureka stone ground flour (Spar), or your own home ground if possible. Otherwise to be honest, good old shop bought white, brown or wholewheat bread flour, or cake flour, works just fine. Enjoy
Leek, Potato and chickpea Soup
Serves 4 adults very comfortably,with enough left over for lunch to work the next day!
Olive oil
3 leeks, trimmed,rinsed and sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 potatoes, cubed
1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
750ml vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil, gently fry leeks with generous pinch of salt till starting to soften. Add garlic, then potatoes, stir well, add chickpeas and cook 1 minute before adding stock. Cover and cook gently till potatoes are tender. Using a stick blender, blend, leaving some of the vegetables unblended. Otherwise, pour into blender jug and blend. Check seasoning.
Stir Bread
3 cups flour of choice
1 packet instant yeast
2t salt
1t honey
1T olive oil
Lukewarm water to mix
Mix flour and yeast, add salt and stir through. Add honey, oil and 1 cup water and start mixing with wooden spoon, adding more water till you have a soft, sticky, well mixed dough. Cover and leave to rise in a warmish place for at least 1/2 an hour, (you can leave it for ages if you have to rush out!). Stir gently and tip dough into a well greased medium sized bread pan. Leave to rise till it pops over the top edge of the pan, bake in preheated oven 190C for 30 minutes. Test if done by knocking on the bread. If it sounds hollow, its done. If not sure, give it another 5 minutes. Remove from pan immediately.
Ah, now for the butter, cheese and honey on that hot bread! Don't go sit in your room with the loaf:)
tastes delicious
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