Traditional Irish Leek and Potato Soup • pub recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Why does my leek and potato soup taste bland? ›

The reasons are usually two: you didn't season your soup at all, worrying it might be too salty because of the leeks; or you added to much water for the stock.

Leek and potato soup is a traditional staple of French cuisine. Elizabeth David (1984) comments that the ancestor of vichyssoise was "every French housewife's potato and leek soup". 19th-century French cookbooks give recipes for a simple leek and potato soup, called potage Parmentier or potage à la Parmentier.

Unlike a chunky vegetable soup commonly found in the US, Irish Vegetable Soup is a blended soup made of potatoes, leeks, carrots, and onions that feels creamy and comforting without any cream!

If you blend or puree the potatoes for too long, the starch inside the potatoes will leak into the broth and create a gelatin-like consistency. It's for this reason, we like to blend the soup in batches (so if we over-blend a little it won't ruin the whole thing!) and only until it's just smooth.

Foods that have a great deal of acidity, like lemon juice, vinegar, white wine, and tomato puree, can help liven up the flavor of bland-tasting bone and other broths. "The acidity of these ingredients works to complement and enhance the broth's flavors, not mask it.

It looks as though some of your potatoes might have got a bit scorched. Did you fry them off before adding the liquid? The colour from the browned potatoes could be what is turning it brown.

FAQ: Can you eat the green part of leeks? Yes, you can eat the green part of leeks. While the white and light green parts are commonly used in cooking, the dark green leaves are also edible and can be used in various dishes.

Leeks are rich in flavonoids, especially one called kaempferol. Flavonoids are antioxidants and may have anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anticancer properties, as well as other health benefits. Definite proof of these health benefits of leeks will depend upon future studies with humans.

[viʃiswaz ] feminine noun. (Cookery) (= soupe) vichyssoise ⧫ cream of leek and potato soup. Collins French-English Dictionary © by HarperCollins Publishers.

Carrot. After potatoes, carrots are without doubt the best-known and most popular root vegetable of all.

What is Irish stew called in Ireland? ›

Irish stew (Irish: Stobhach Gaelach) or Stobhach is a stew from Ireland that is traditionally made with root vegetables and lamb or mutton, but also commonly with beef. As in all traditional folk dishes, the exact recipe is not consistent from time to time, or place to place.

The origins of Irish stew are somewhat shrouded in mystery, but it's believed to have originated in the 17th or 18th century. At that time, the dish was often made by shepherds and rural farmers who had access to only a few ingredients but needed a nourishing meal to sustain them through long days of work.

Add the leeks to the pot, lowering the heat if necessary and saute for 10-15 minutes , or until soft and translucent. Be careful not to burn the leeks, as they will impart a bitter taste to the soup. The excess liquid from cleaning the leeks should help prevent any burning.

It's really not a good idea to leave it out at room temperature. I've left stock on the stove overnight at a simmer with the lid on. This keeps it hot enough that microbes won't grow but traps evaporation so it can't go dry. It is ok to put the soup in the refrigerator in a fresh room temperature container, covered.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl.

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

If your broth tastes thin and bland, you may want to cook and let it evaporate for longer. That helps concentrate its flavors and gives you a better-tasting soup broth. Be sure to remove the lid to let the steam escape.

Tips for Flavorful Vegetable Soup

Flavor the base: We add Italian seasoning and tomato paste to the aromatics and warm them up to bring the seasonings back to life. You could use fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary, or even add a Parmesan rind for more flavor.