I’ve had a request recently, albeit from my husband, but a request none the less. The request was simple. Please make potato and leek soup & scones. No he isn’t have some strange pregnancy companion cravings, whatever he may tell you, he asked for the scones for afternoon tea and the soup for dinner!

I love getting asked to make food, it gives me a sense of purpose. Especially now that I have entered project bed rest.

Plain Scones

I first started making plain scones when I was in high school, merci beaucoup grade eight home economics. After 15 years, I still follow the same recipe and method. (Recipe adapted from The Commonsense Cookery book)

Ingredients 

2 cups of self-raising flour

pinch of salt

60 g butter

1 cup milk

Method

Turn the oven up to 250 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper. Mix in flour and salt. Cut the butter into small cubes and then lightly rub with tips of fingers until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Make a well in the centre of the bowl and pour in nearly all of the milk (keep a little bit for glazing). Mix with a bread knife quickly until if forms into a soft dough. Turn onto a floured bench and knead three – five times (use baking paper on the bench so that flour/dough doesn’t stick to you bench, when you finish you just throw away the baking paper, flour and the mess). Roll dough into a long sausage like shape and then using the bread knife cut into triangle pieces. Arrange uncooked scones on the baking tray so they are nestled together and touching on each side. Glaze with milk.

Bake in 240 degree over for 8 – 10 minutes.

I like to serve the scones as soon as they are out of the oven, so that when you cut them in half there is steam coming from the inside and butter melts across the top. For extra indulgence jam and cream.

Potato & Leek Soup

I still remember the first time I made this soup in Paris. I had recently just purchased the cookbook Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros. I had bought it at Galignani bookstore on on rue de Rivoli and so accordingly it was overpriced but to me priceless. The first few times I made this soup I followed the recipe religiously, but now I certainly have a more laissez-faire approach to my soup making. (Adapted from Tessa Kiros)

Ingredients
3 -4 Leeks

4 -5 Potatoes

1 -2 cloves of garlic chopped in half

Butter

Herbs

Method

Cut the white of leeks finely and rinse throughly with water. Leeks love to hide dirt in their layers, just one of the many quirks of this vegetable. In a pot put about a tablespoon of butter (yes, real butter) and until it melts slowly and add the chopped garlic. Throw in some fresh herbs, bay leaf, rosemary, oregano (whatever is growing in you garden). Add in the finely sliced leeks and mix around so the butter coats all of the leeks. While the leeks are cooking, peel the potatoes and cut into chunks. Add some white wine or whisky (just a dash) to deglaze the pan. Pop the potatoes in the pot, add in a generous pitch of sea salt and mix around with a wooden spoon.  Add 1 – 1.5 litres of water & bring to the boil. Turn down heat, simmer soup and pop on lid for about 45 minutes. Every now and then stir the soup. Blitz with a barmix or leave with chunks if you prefer a country style soup. Depending on how you like your soup, you can add a bit more water if too think, or if too thin leave the lid off and cook for a another 15 minutes. Garnish with salt, pepper, flat leaf parsley, olive oil and a fresh squeeze of a lemon.

Made with Love

xxx