- 2 leeks
- 1 celery stick
- 2 large potatoes
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- A 35g sachet of flaked almonds
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 700ml boiling water or hot homemade stock
- Pan with a lid
- Heatproof measuring jug
- Frying pan
- 1.
Trim the very top and bottom off the leeks. Halve them and rinse out any grit. Finely slice them. Warm a pan for 1 min, then add ½ tbsp oil and the leeks. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover. Turn the heat down to low and sweat for 10 mins till the leeks are soft. Stir now and then.
- 2.
While the leeks sweat, trim the ends off the celery and finely slice it. Peel the potatoes. Chop into chunks around 1½ cm wide. Peel and crush or grate the garlic.
- 3.
Stir the celery, potatoes and garlic into the leeks. Crumble in the stock cube and pour in 700ml boiling water (or use hot homemade stock). Add 1 bay leaf. Cover, turn the heat up and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 mins till the veg are tender.
- 4.
Meanwhile, tip the almonds into a dry frying pan. Toast over a medium heat for 2-3 mins till golden, shaking the pan. Stir half into the soup. Fish out the bay leaf.
- 5.
Taste the soup. Add more salt and pepper if it needs it. For a smoother soup, blitz in a blender or with a hand-held blender. Top with the remaining almonds.