Leek, Potato & Ham Soup

📝 Ingredients

• 3 leeks (about 600 g once trimmed)
• 800 g floury potatoes
• 1 brown onion (about 100 g)
• 20 g unsalted butter
• 2 chicken stock cubes + 1200 ml hot water
• 200 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 8 slices of cooked ham (40 g each)
• 80 g grated Emmental
• 4 slices of country bread (40 g each)
• Salt, black pepper, nutmeg

🍴 Utensils

• Large stockpot
• Stick blender
• Slotted spoon
• Peeler
• Chopping board
• Knife

📖 Steps

1. Cut off the roots and dark green tops of the leeks, then split them in half lengthways and rinse under cold water, fanning the leaves apart to wash out any grit. Slice into 1 cm half-moons. Peel and finely chop the onion.
2. Peel the potatoes, rinse them and cut into roughly 2 cm cubes, all the same size so they cook at the same time. Dissolve the stock cubes in the hot water.
3. Melt the butter in the stockpot over a medium heat. Add the onion and leeks with a pinch of salt and sweat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent, without letting them colour.
4. Add the potatoes, stir, then pour in the stock: the vegetables should be just covered. Bring to the boil, lower to a gentle heat and cook, covered, for 20 minutes, until the tip of a knife slides through the cubes without resistance.
5. Meanwhile, cut the ham into small squares of about 1 cm. Toast the slices of bread in the toaster, or for 3 minutes under the grill, until golden and crisp.
6. Off the heat, lift out about half of the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Blend the rest with a stick blender, keeping the head fully submerged to avoid splashes, until smooth and velvety.
7. Return the reserved chunks to the pot with the milk and ham. Reheat for 3 to 4 minutes over a low heat without boiling. Taste before adding salt, as the ham and stock are already salty, then season with pepper and add a pinch of nutmeg.
8. Divide the piping hot soup between 4 bowls, sprinkle each with 20 g grated Emmental, which will melt and turn stringy, and serve straight away with the toasted bread.