23/01/2012 by D.

This is great for little ones as leek is quite mild and the overall pasta bake is whitish…

2 leeks
1 tsp butter
1/2 pint milk
1 tbs butter
1 tbs flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup ham cubes or broken pieces of sliced ham (optional - you could use tomato or sundried tomatoes)
500g pasta

Heat the oven to 180c.  Clean and chop the leeks.  Sweat them in the teaspoon of butter in a saucepan with the lid on and don’t allow them to brown. 

Add milk, tablespoon butter, flour, nutmeg and mustard to another saucepan and heat gently, whisking occasionally.  As it begins to heat up, concentrate on the whisking and don’t allow it to catch on the bottom.  Once bubbling gently remove from the heat and stir in half the cheese.  Season to taste.  It should have a thick texture.

Break up the leeks with a spoon -they should now be softish.  Add to the cheese sauce.  Mix in the ham.

Bring a large pan of salted water to boil and cook the pasta according to instructions on the packet.  Drain it before it becomes too soft as it will be cooked further in the oven.  Mix the sauce with the pasta, pour into an oven proof dish and sprinkle over the remaining cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes until piping hot with a brown cheesy top.

This is great for putting in mini ramikins and freezing for quick suppers (don’t do the last step of putting it in the oven as that will happen when you reheat).

Posted in Milk, Cheese, Ham, Butter, Leek, Recipe, Vegetarian, Pasta, Weaning | Print | No Comments »

29/11/2011 by D.

200g smoked haddock
1/2 pint milk
2 large potatoes
2 leeks
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
1/2 pint boiling water
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 veg stock cube (I used kallo)
1 tin sweetcorn
handful of parsley leaves to garnish

Cover the haddock with the milk in a frying pan and slowly heat to a simmer, then switch off.  Turn the fish over after 5 mins.

Meanwhile peel the potatoes and finely dice.  Wash and chop the leeks. Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan and add leek and potatoes, stirring frequently.

Lift the haddock out of the milk and put on a plate; pour the haddock milk into the saucepan with the leeks and potato.  Add the nutmeg.  Mix the stock cube with the boiling water and add to the pan.  Drain and add sweetcorn.

With your fingers, gently flake the haddock off the skin, carefully avoiding any bones.

Once the potato cubes in the soup are tender, add the flakes of fish.  Using a stick blender carefully blend some of the soup; don’t continue until all the texture has gone.

 Season to taste, and serve topped with chopped parsley and toasted buttered bagels or some crusty bread.

Posted in Milk, Smoked Haddock, Fish, Stock, Leek, Potato, Sweetcorn, Nutmeg, Recipe | Print | No Comments »

25/02/2010 by D.

This is one of Orla Broderick’s 100 Great Soups.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 leek (or onion)
bunch fresh watercress, carefully washed
2 apples
1/2 lemon (juiced)
2 potatoes
1 pint chicken or veg stock
1 tbsp greek yoghurt (optional).

Finely chop leek and watercress stalks (I just cut off the top 1/3 and put aside).  Peel and cube the potatoes.  Cube the apples.  Fry the leek, potatoes and stalks in the oil for a few minutes, then add the apples, stock and lemon juice.  Simmer for 15 mins.

Chop the watercress leaves finely and add to the pan.  You can save a handful for garnishing if you wish.  Simmer for a further 10 mins.  Blend and season.  Stir in the yoghurt and check for seasoning again.  Serve with some crusty bread.

The sweetness of the apple works very well against the peppery watercress and the lemon.  A lovely starter or light lunch.

Posted in Stock, Yoghurt, Watercress, Apple, Soup, Potato, Lemon, Leek, Recipe | Print | 2 Comments »

28/11/2009 by D.

tbsp olive oil
1 leek
1 large parsnip (or two small ones)
1 eating apple
1 veg stock cube
1 ltr water
1/2 lemon to taste
salt to taste

Trim the leek, then halve and finely chop.  Peel and dice the parsnip, discard any hard, woody central bits if its a big one.  Wash the apple, cut off the ‘cheeks’ around the core and dice (no need to peel it).

Gently fry the leek in the oil, then add the parsnip, apple and stock.  Simmer for around 40 mins until the parsnip is really soft.  Liquidise.  Season with a squirt of lemon juice and salt.  Stir and taste.  Adjust as necessary.

This is a very light soup, slightly sweet sour and the texture of apple mousse.  It makes a great starter or light lunch and works well with bread and salty butter.

Posted in Soup, Apple, Parsnip, Leek, Lemon, Recipe, Vegetarian, Weaning | Print | No Comments »