Soup From Mom’s Kitchen

by June Boston

I’m not a ‘natural’ cook as is my daughter Alison. In fact I’ve always said my three offspring learned to cook in sheer self-defense!   I’ve never been one for cooking shows on TV but Alison’s blog and all her recipes has got me paying more attention to cooking (and I confess, watching the occasional cooking show!)   On this particular day, I was intrigued by this recipe for leek, yam and potato soup – and actually made it!  I felt so virtuous making soup from scratch. My soup usually comes in a can or package!

Ingredients

• 2 T butter (vegans substitute margarine)
• 1 1/2 cups leeks halved washed well and sliced
• 2 T garlic finely chopped
• 2 T oregano
• 1 tea sp salt
• 1/2 tea sp. pepper
• 1 tea sp. coriander
• 1 large yam peeled and sliced * 
  
• 2 med. potatoes roughly chopped
• 2 1/2 cups veg. broth or water

Add butter and leeks to a medium pot, pre-heated on medium heat.  Sweat (sauté without browning) the leeks for a few minutes, stir occasionally.

Add garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and coriander and sauté for another 2 mins.

Add yams, potatoes and veg. broth/water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium low Simmer until yams and potatoes are cooked and soft then remove pot from heat and cool for 5 mins.

Add to blender and purée until smooth

VERY filling!!

* Ed’s Note: I don’t think they mean yams as big as the ones from Brixton Market! I think they mean Sweet Potatoes.  If you’re confused, read Jennifer Ward Pelar’s guest post for all the dope on Yams.

When I got to the “put-in blender” part I could not find the blender. Searched high and low. Eventually found, at the back of one of the kitchen cupboards, a hand blender which Alison had bought whilst living in Victoria and given me when she moved away.  I said I didn’t want it, that I had a blender, she insisted I take it, said it was easier to clean-up and I would find it useful.  It did a fine job.  Can’t believe I’ve never used it till now!  She gave it to me over 10 years ago!

It’s true, Mother’s meals were not something we kids got excited about, and I learned to cook mostly because I love good food.  Tinned soup was all we got when I was growing up, except when we had turkey, then Dad would make a delicious soup from the left over carcass.

Related articles

• Potato-Leek Soup – the best! (cookingandmyfamily.wordpress.com)
• Ingredient of the Week: Leeks (colourfuldish.wordpress.com)
• Potato Leek Soup (lamismacocina.wordpress.com)