Red Stripe Roasted Potato and Leek Soup

       I believe winter is the perfect time of year to enjoy delicious and hardy soups and stews.  DFH and I have fun playing around with recipes and attempting to create complex, but tasty soups by altering  recipes or creating our own.    Sometimes they turn out great other times not so much.

     One of our favorites this winter has been a Roasted Potato and Leek Soup.  Not to sound like a complete weirdo, but the leek is such an under appreciated vegetable in the American culture.  It is rare that you see recipes calling for leeks, yet it brings such a great flavor to dishes.  When I studied abroad in Ireland in college, I first became familiar with the leek, as it is used in many dishes in the Irish culture, and learned to love it, but I often forget how great the flavor is in dishes.  Note to self: BUY MORE LEEKS.


We used the Ina Garten Food Network Roasted Potato and Leek Soup recipe, however swapped out the white wine for beer and used a fat free heavy cream instead of the real deal to make the meal a bit healthier, and also took out the creme fraiche.  We also added steak for protein and some extra veggies such  as celery and carrots, spinach and some additional spices like paprika and roasted red pepper flakes for some heat.

Red Stripe Roasted Potato and Leek Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes cut into small chunks
• 4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)
• 1 lb  cooked steak ( optional)
• 1/4 cup  olive oil
• 3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed
• 1/2  12 oz. bottle of Red Stripe beer ( Or beer of choice)
• 7 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream ( we used fat free)
• 2 stalks of celery cut into small pieces
• six (6) baby carrots chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
• dash of salt and pepper
• dash of paprika
• Red Pepper Flakes for added spice

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

 Combine the potatoes and leeks and place on a greased pan in a single layer. drizzle olive oil over the potatoes and leeks, add salt and pepper for taste. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning the potatoes and leeks with a spatula a few times during cooking, until  tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place to the side.  Meanwhile, in a soup pot, combine chicken broth, heavy cream, and beer.  Add your cooked steak.  Add your vegetables of choice to the pot ( celery, carrots, and spinach). When the potatoes and leeks have finished roasting add the mixture with arugula to the pot. Add paprika, and red pepper flakes.  Let simmer for approximately thirty minutes. Top with Parmesan cheese.

 

 

ENJOY!