Soups at this time of year are a staple in many households, mine especially. They're warming, delicious, and are a fantastic way to pack a load of veggies in. When making soups, I love just to add whatever vegetables I have in the fridge. This time around, I added in some carrots, celery, cabbage and leeks to the recipe. However, when making veggie soups, they tend to be on the thinner side.
To thicken soups, many people add a small amount of flour; however, I wanted to add something that would also improve the flavour. In this instance, chefs recommend adding diced potatoes or potato flakes, also known as instant mashed potatoes. I opted for diced potatoes this time, as I already had a few on hand. I don't usually add potatoes to my soups, but chopping them up into small cubes did add to the flavour and thickness.
I used Maris Piper potatoes in my soup, but King Edward is another floury type of potato that works well to thicken soups.
When cooked, these potatoes are fluffy inside, which makes them ideal for mash, roast potatoes or baked potatoes. Their starchiness can also be used to thicken up beef stews.
Ingredients (serves four to six)I started by heating a pan with the oil and butter before adding the onions and frying them off for five minutes.
I then added in the leek and potatoes and left it to cook for about 10 minutes with the lid on, until the potatoes started to soften, stirring from time to time.
Next, I added the celery and carrots and left them to cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, I thinly sliced the cabbage, ensuring that I removed the central stalk. I cut leaves across the wedge shape into short shreds.
After that, I poured the stock and tin of tomatoes into the pan with the cabbage. I then brought it to the boil and left it gently simmering for about 45 minutes.
I'd definitely recommend using a large pan for this recipe, as I didn't have enough space to stir the soup with my regular saucepan.
