Tuesday, January 27, 2015

“Red Potato & Leek Soup” & “Garlic Asiago Bread” As We Battle The Blizzard Of 2015

Welcome to “Wordless Tuesday!” Where there are no stories just a fabulous and delicious recipe or two….. 


One of my best friends, Dani who lives upstate made this recipe, “Red Potato & Leek Soup.” She shared her delicious dish with me and it is really not hard to prepare. She used a Vita mix to puree the soup. If you do not have a Vita mix, you can use your blender. Snow, cold, and wind…Blizzard conditions are here on Long Island…Two perfect recipes for staying in for a few days. Enjoy! Plus, who ever is in line of this Blizzard, please be safe and keep warm..

 



                                          “Red Potato & Leek Soup

Serves: 2-4 people




Ingredients:
7 red potatoes peeled and diced small
3 leeks cleaned and chopped (used the white part & 3 inches of the green part)
1 medium sized onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
6 cups of water or chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste



Directions:
In a large soup pot, at medium heat add the butter, olive oil, and the garlic. Now add in the leeks and onion, sauté for about 5 minutes until you can smell them a bit. Add in the potatoes and continue to sauté. Cook until the potatoes are tender and cooked. (The bottom of the potatoes crisped a bit so when added to the 6 cups of water/stock the potatoes had that yummy crispy part, which added to the flavor)

When potatoes, leeks, and onions are cooked, add salt and pepper to taste. Next puree half in a blender until creamy, and add it back to the pan. (Do not over blend) So you now have half smooth and the rest is whole pieces. To serve, pour the smooth part in a bowl first, and now add the whole potatoes in the center and garnish with a few scallions. It tastes like a baked potato!

*Vegetarian version: use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth


**Vegan version: make as vegetarian; only use olive oil and do not add any dairy

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Garlic Asiago Bread

You can’t have “Red Potato & Leek Soup” without a chunk of bread. This homemade bread has chunks of cheese and fabulous garlic taste. Perfect along side of a good tasty soup.


Bake: 20 min. & cooling
Yield: 20 servings

Ingredients:
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1-1/4 cups warm water (110°F to 115°F)
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
7 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
3 to 3-1/4 cups bread flour
1 cup cubed Asiago cheese 



Egg Wash:
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Directions:
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the oil, garlic, sugar, salt, vinegar and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. Stir in cheese.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down; divide in half. Shape into 5-in.-round loaves. Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.

For egg wash, in a small bowl, combine egg and water. Brush over loaves. Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. 


Yield: 2 loaves (10 wedges each).

Till Next Time………

Copyright © 2015 “Family Plus Food Equals Love” All Rights Reserved

14 comments:

  1. Good morning Dottie ,
    I often cook red potato and leek soup , and it's always delicious and yes you have to have bread . My family love hushpuppies with their potato -leek soup .
    This is the dish you need in your weather , boy , you guys are in for some rough time , hope you don't lose power , be prepared just in case my friend , stay warm and safe .
    Your recipes is wonderful for this time of year , it makes the house smell so homey and good . Thanks for sharing , have a blessed day my friend and saty safe . ~~Nee~~ :)

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    1. Good evening Nee,
      Thank you so much for your comment. Yes, it is a very flavorful soup. I enjoy the combination of the potatoes and leeks. Never would have thought of hush puppies with the soup. Have to try that someday. Yes, nee it has been really bad here. I thought I was going to loose power but thank goodness I did not. I did, however, get about 22-24 inches of snow. The drifts were crazy and the wind was over 60 miles an hour at times. Thank goodness I have enough food and water. I don't think I will be plowed out for a few days. I slept with my flashlight just in case. Thanks for your concern....and for visiting...dear friend. So hot soup will be on the menu for this evening's dinner. Have a blessed and wonderful week...
      Dottie :)

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  2. Dottie, it sounds like perfect food to me, and my hubby would love love your soup. And the bread, I could eat the whole loaf. It looks soooo delicious and is a must try. Hope all is well your way with the weather. We had a little snow this morning, but cold and cloudy. So a perfect day for a meal like this!

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    1. Dear Pam,
      Thank you for visiting and your comment. So glad that you love this soup and bread recipe. It is delicious and so glad my friend Dani shared this with me. As far as the weather goes I had a rough night and day. Being, I live in Suffolk County we got the brunt of the storm. Thought I was going to loose power but thank goodness I did not. I did, however, get about 22-24 inches of snow. The drifts were crazy and the wind was over 60 miles an hour at times. Thank goodness I have enough food and water. I don't think I will be plowed out for a few days. I slept with my flashlight just in case. But thank you for thinking of me.
      Hope that you have a wonderful week.
      Dottie :)

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  3. Hi Dottie. You know what? This recipe looks just perfect! I love leek soup and if you serve it with this delicious bread even better.
    Is it cold where you are? Here it is freezing now so I make soups at least 3 times a week. The best way to fight colds is eating healthy and warm food. I am sure you agree :-)
    Hope you are well my friend xx

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    1. Dear Alida,
      Yes, dear friend this is a fabulous comforting soup. My friend Dani shared this with me and I am so glad she did...as it is delicious. I love the bread also, have to have a chunk to go along side this soup. I also had a big salad as well. So glad that you like this post..Oh, Alida it is so cold, at night it is below zero.Snow is everywhere. We had that Blizzard the other day and where I live I had 22-24 inches of snow all at once.I do hope that you are keeping warm..it is even cold where you are...I do agree with you, eat healthy, keep warm and have some soup! Thank you for your visit and your comment! Be well and have a warm rest of the week!
      Dottie :)

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  4. Leek and potato soup is a real favorite of mine. Haven't made it with red potatoes though -- but you know I will! Love the combo. And I'll be pairing it with that bread -- so much flavor. Inspired post -- thanks.

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    1. Hi John,
      Thank you for your visit and your comment. So glad that you love this post and recipes. Yes, my friend Dani made a truly yummy Potato and Leek soup.The red potatoes add a different flavor to it. Thrilled that my post inspired you, it is always nice to hear that from a friend...Have a safe and warm rest of the week...have to check your post out now! Dottie :)

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  5. Dear Dottie, One of my favorite soups is potato leek soup. This soup will certainly hit the spot with this cold weather and another snow on the way, perhaps two more storms on the way!! I think Florida is sounding better and better, lol Though I don't think that is in the cards for me.
    There really is nothing like homemade bread. The garlic Asiago bread sounds wonderful. I could eat the whole loaf!! My father was a bread lover too.
    We always had to have a fresh loaf of bread at dinner.
    Please stay safe and warm and cozy. xoxox Catherine


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    1. Dear Catherine,
      Thank you for your comment. Yes, I agree with you a perfect, delicious, and warm soup for this time of year. Especially with these snow storms upon us. I love the snow and the season changes so I will not consider Florida. I lived there for 6 months and I hated it. I am a winter person, but as much as I love the snow, this is a bit too much all at once. Yes, the aroma of bread baking is so inviting and I love that smell, it reminds me of home. Nothing like a slice of bread to soak up the goodness of the soup. In my family, my dad only wanted bread when my mom would make sauce or pasta. Other than that we were not bread people unless the meal was on bread etc. Thanks for visiting...Keep safe and warm...have a good rest of the week...Blessings..
      Dottie :)

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  6. Dear Dottie,
    One of my favourite soups, also! I am going to make this for Dinner tonight! Often my husband will call and ask me if I need him to pick up anything on his way home...I'll have my list ready :-) I love cheese in bread, it's the perfect combination! Thank you for this lovely, heartwarming dish.
    Bless you Dottie xo

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    1. Good evening Rhonda,
      Thanks for visiting and your comment. I am so glad that you liked this recipe. I agree, cheese bread is yummy but perfect for this bowl of soup. It just adds to the flavor of the soup. Your welcome, dear friend...just enjoy...Have a great Friday!
      Dottie :)

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  7. Hi Dottie,
    I heard it is really snowy and cold down there. We have a bit of snow and lots of chill too. I think this yummy soup would be just wonderful right now!!! Of course, I could probably eat the whole loaf of bread too. Everything looks luscious:)

    Thank you so much for sharing, Dottie...Stay warm. Hopefull not too much digging to do...

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    1. Hi Louise,
      Thank you for visitng...Oh yes, I had gotten about 22-24 inches of snow the other day. It was crazy! I love snow, but this was a little too much all at once. Today it was -10 this morning...very cold....Yes this soup that my friend Dani shared is amazing. I love potato and leek soup. Nice flavor and you are right, a nice hot bowl of this soup would hit the spot right now. You would have to share some of the bread with me..it is so delicious..Thanks for your comment dear friend and yes you keep warm too! Have a good weekeknd..
      Dottie :)

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