I spent my first Thanksgiving in NewportRhode Island in freezing weather. My lovely friend Brooke cooked a feast fit for kings. We began with an aromatic soup and we ate for hours as the winds howled outside. Over the past two decades I have cooked Thanksgiving each year with great pleasure. We - as all families do I am sure – now have our traditions. One of ours is to begin the meal with a soup, but each year it is a new soup, one usually created for that day. This was one of my favorites and I make it many times during the autumn and winter months. It is warming and fragrant and perfect when the wind is howling.
Preparation
1
Pour a little olive oil in a large saucepan placed over medium heat. Add the chopped leaks and onions and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
2
Add the potatoes, thyme, two good pinches of salt and 5-6 grinds of pepper and cook a further 5 minutes.
3
Pour in the stock and bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are soft. Approximately 20-25 minutes. Remove the thyme.
4
Puree the soup with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender or food processor) until it is very smooth. Return the processed soup to the saucepan (if using a blender) and stir in the crumbled Stilton until it melts and is thoroughly incorporated into the soup. Serve in warmed soup bowls with crusty bread alongside.
This soup is featured in A Menu For All Seasons - Autumn cookbook. — view the book →
