I didn’t have much to go in this soup apart from potatoes (no other vegetables or bacon) and it was going to be our main meal on a cold November night – so I made it luxurious and rich with an egg, garlicky quick rouille, cheese and plentiful toast. Delicious! Nothing else was required.
Ingredients
Chicken stock – roughly 2 pints (or vegetable stock to make it vegetarian)
3 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 carrot, peeled and cubed
1 leek, cleaned and cut up finely
1 heaped teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/3 pint of milk or a little less of cream
1 sprig of thyme
Garnishes:
Poached egg
Finely grated cheese (cheddar, or your choice)
Store cupboard rouille: 2 heaped tablespoons of mayonnaise, a heaped teaspoon of tomato paste, 1 small crushed cove of garlic, a few dashes of tabasco or frank’s hot sauce – mixed well.
Buttered toast
How to make:
Simmer the chicken stock (or vegetable stock), when it’s boiling, add the leeks and potatoes and turn down to a bubbling simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes then add the carrot, the paprika and the crushed garlic clove. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Check the potatoes are cooked. Add the milk and fresh thyme. Cook on a low heat for another 5 minutes and then season well with salt.
When ready to serve, poach an egg for each bowl. Place the egg into the bowl with a dollop of rouille on top, then a little mound of grated cheese.
Dinner Document 