Cream of Potato and Parsley Soup

Ingredients

Contains: milk (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ onion
• ½ leek
• 1 carrot
• 1 small bulb fennel
• 3 cloves garlic
• about 20 black peppercorns
• 8-10 button mushrooms
• 1 stick celery
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 3-4 fresh parsley
• 2 shallots
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 600-850ml/1-1½ pints fresh vegetable stockvegetable stock
• 1-2 medium white potatoes
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• knob of butter
• 285ml/½ pint single cream
• large bunch curly leaf parsley

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Finely chop the half onion, half leek, carrot, fennel bulb, celery and shallots. Cook gently in the oil for 8 minutes, stirring, until softened.

2. Crush or finely chop the 3 cloves garlic and the 1 clove garlic. Add them to the pot with the about 20 black peppercorns and the diced tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes.

3. Peel and cube the 1-2 medium white potatoes. Add them to the pot with the vegetable stock and bring to a boil.

4. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender.

5. Meanwhile, heat the second tablespoon of olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the sliced button mushrooms for 4 minutes until browned, then set aside a few for garnish.

6. Finely chop the 3-4 fresh parsley and the large bunch of curly leaf parsley, stems and leaves. Stir into the soup for the last 2 minutes of simmering.

7. Remove the peppercorns, then blend the soup until smooth. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

8. Stir in the single cream and knob of butter and warm gently over low heat without boiling. Ladle into bowls, top with the reserved mushrooms and serve hot.