Beningbrough leek and potato soup

Tinged with delicate green, this timeless classic recipe is given a modern twist with a drizzle of rapeseed oil flavoured with fresh sage leaves. A warming bowl of comfort, this soup uses the supply of leeks from the walled garden at Beningbrough – they're harvested well into the winter, even if there's snow on the ground.

20 minutes prep. time
21–23 minutes cooking time
Serves 4–6
Soups, stews & curries, Vegetarian

A bowl of leek and potato soup, topped with a sage leaf and oil, with a chunk of brown bread and a spoon on the plate beside it — Enhance the vibrant green of this leek and potato soup with sage oil | © National Trust

For the soup

600g leeks, trimmed
1 tbsp vegetable oil
400g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
850ml vegetable stock
salt and pepper

To finish

2 tbsp extra-virgin rapeseed oil
1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped

Step 1

Slit the leeks lengthways with a knife, then wash well and drain. Thinly slice the top green half from each leek, put in a bowl and set aside. Thinly slice the remaining leek.

Step 2

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the white part of the sliced leeks and fry for 2–3 minutes until just beginning to soften.

Step 3

Stir in the potatoes, half the stock and a little salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are soft.

Step 4

Meanwhile, add the rapeseed oil and sage leaves to a small saucepan, heat gently until sizzling, then set aside and leave to cool.

Step 5

Stir the reserved green part of the sliced leeks and remaining stock into the soup pan. Simmer for 2–3 minutes or until the leeks are soft but still bright green.

Step 6

Purée the soup in the pan with a stick blender. Alternatively, transfer the soup to a liquidiser, blend until smooth, then return to the pan. Taste and adjust the seasoning and reheat the soup if needed.