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Leek and roasted garlic soup
Serves4
CourseStarter
Prepare20 mins
Cook45 mins
Total time1 hr 5 mins
1 large garlic bulb
1½ tbsp olive oil
4 large leeks, thickly sliced
1 medium baking potato, peeled and chopped into 2cm chunks
1 L fresh vegetable stock
3 thyme sprigs
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 190˚C, gas mark 5. Slice the top off the garlic bulb, to just expose the flesh within. Drizzle with tbsp olive oil, season with salt and wrap loosely in a foil parcel. Roast for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, soften the leeks in the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan or casserole, stirring over a low heat for 5 minutes. Cover, turn the heat to very low and cook gently for 10 minutes more. Uncover and add the potato, stock and 1 thyme sprig. Bring to the boil and simmer for 25 minutes.
Reserve 4 large roasted garlic cloves. Squeeze the remainder into the soup, stirring well, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the thyme sprig and blend the soup until completely smooth, either in the pan with a handheld blender, or in an upright blender. Season and loosen with a splash more water, if liked.
Squeeze the reserved roasted garlic flesh into a bowl and add the stripped leaves from the remaining 2 thyme sprigs. Add the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice; season and beat with a fork to make the mixture as smooth as possible. Reheat the blended soup and divide between warmed serving bowls. Spoon the roasted garlic oil over and serve straight away.
